King Charles is taking on a new patronage for the Gordonstoun Association after spending his adolescence at the Moray boarding school, famously depicted in Netflix’s The Crown

Charles with his mum in 1967 at Gordonstoun (
Image: Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)

The King has become a patron of the school he attended as a child after inheriting the role from his late-father.

Charles accepted the patronage of the Gordonstoun Association after he went to the prestigious Moray boarding school in the 1960s. Despite claims the monarch was miserable at the institution, the King previously made a touching nod to the school after choosing four Gordonstoun pipers to welcome him to St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh for the Honours of Scotland ceremony.

Charles spent five years at the boarding school between 1962 and 1967, securing five O-levels and two A-levels, before going on to study archaeology and anthropology at Trinity College at Cambridge. The patronage marks the first anniversary of his coronation, and also comes as both he and Queen Camilla take on a litany of new similar roles for charities and institutions.

The King was said to have been miserable at the school, although recently made a gesture to his place of education in a ceremony in Scotland

King Charles photographed on May 13, 2024

The royal household recently announced a shake-up, with a host of new patronages for both the King and Queen following the death of the late-Queen Elizabeth. He now joins the Princess Royal as an official supporter of the school, with Anne holding the role of warden at Gordonstoun.

His time there was portrayed in an episode of The Crown, which depicts the 13-year-old Prince of Wales struggling to make friends and being subjected to brutal outdoor pursuits in the merciless Scottish weather. One former pupil of the school revealed in ITV documentary Charles: Our New King how he was often targeted by other boys, who blamed him for the strict rules there.

School principal Lisa Kerr said: “We are honoured that His Majesty has accepted patronage of the Gordonstoun Association. As our most prominent former student, His Majesty exemplifies so many of the qualities we seek to instil in our students, notably a lifelong commitment to service.

The late-Queen Elizabeth with Charles at the prestigious school in 1967

“That His Majesty has chosen a patronage of our alumni body is a great honour both for the school and all members of the Gordonstoun Association. We look forward to His Majesty’s engagement and support with the association and its members in the years to come.”

Heather Woodward, chairwoman of the association, added: “The aim of the Gordonstoun Association is to promote and strengthen pupils’ links with each other and the school. There is no person more suited than the King to highlight the unique experience of what it means to be a former student of Gordonstoun, and I am therefore delighted that His Majesty has accepted patronage of the Gordonstoun Association.

“Although it’s almost 60 years since His Majesty attended Gordonstoun, his duty to service is an example of how the ethos and values of the school teaches students to think about others rather than themselves. We are looking forward to engaging with the King on his views on how we can further the aims of the association.”