In pictures released yesterday, Infanta Sofia of Spain could be seen touring Hippie Hogwarts with a smile on her face. She seemed eager to begin the new academic year.The 16-year-old youngest child of King Felipe and Queen Letizia left her home at “Prince Pavilion” close to Zarzuela Palace to enroll in UWC Atlantic College in the Welsh county of Vale of Glamorgan.The school’s progressive educational philosophy and gorgeous castle setting have earned it the moniker “Hippie Hogwarts.”In pictures published by the palace yesterday, Sofa grinned as she strolled over the school’s grounds wearing a casual checked shirt, a black crop top, and loose-fitting pants.
Princess Leonor, who will attend the Welsh school in Sofa’s place, received the International Baccalaureate in May after graduating from the UWC Atlantic College. In images that were made public earlier in the day, Sofa could be seen grinning as she rolled her sage-colored bag out to the car while her parents, Queen Letizia of Spain, 50, and Felipe VI of Spain, 55, looked on.The daughter was sitting on the car’s boot as the King and Queen smiled and posed with her.Queen Letizia wore a blue blazer, white pants, and an ivory blouse, along with athletic sneakers.The King, on the other hand, looked sharp in his striped jacket, blue shirt, navy pants, and sneakers.Kurt Hahn, a German educationalist, founded UWC Atlantic College, which is housed at St. Donat’s Castle, a 12-century structure on the nation’s south coast.
There are classes available in Tai Chi, the philosophy of knowledge, and Tibetan literature, with tuition for a two-year programme costing a staggering £67,000. Grant Harrold, a former royal butler, reported to email The school’s practical and cutting-edge teaching methods might appeal to European royals.He clarified:
Perhaps the Royals that visit the UWC Atlantic College feel it is out of the spotlight so they can have as normal of an education as possible, or perhaps it is because of the modern thinking that the College portrays, rather than the outdated traditions that these Royals may be avoiding.The institution, which strives to “promote mutual understanding,” was founded in 1962 by German educationalist Kurt Hahn. Hahn believed that his approach to teaching, for students aged 16 to 19, may result in a quicker resolution of international conflict.According to the website, the United World College Movement has 18 institutions worldwide and enrolls students from almost 150 different nations.
The school promotes worldwide interaction among students from various backgrounds and counts The Queen and Queen Noor of Jordan as its current co-presidents.Over the years, St. Donat’s Castle has also witnessed a growing number of foreign royals sit on its benches.The King of the Netherlands, King Willem-Alexander, attended the College from 1983 to 1985 and earned an IB diploma before starting his military service and beginning his history studies at Leiden University in 1987.Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, 19, the daughter of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, joined in the institution in 2018. However, the Covid-19 pandemic forced her to leave early, so she instead finished her studies from home while studying online.Princess Raiyah of Jordan, the daughter of King Hussein of Jordan and Queen Noor, attended her school when she was a teenager before enrolling in The University of Edinburgh to study Japanese as an undergraduate.According to a 2018 The Times article, students were warned against flaunting their affluence by using pricey equipment and were just as likely to hang out with “refugees from west Africa” and “California hippies.”Princess Elisabeth of Belgium will be “the most normal person there,” according to a former student named Louise Callaghan, and won’t receive any “special treatment” despite being a member of the royal family.
Additionally, due to the often rainy Welsh weather, they will need to get used to wearing “damp clothes.”The school’s magnificent location, a 12th-century castle by the sea with its own seashore, woodland, farms, and valley, serves as the setting for instruction.On the South Wales coast, close to Llantwit Major and with a view of the Bristol Channel, is where you’ll find Atlantic College.
Since it was first constructed, the castle has been occupied continually.Along with the historic terraced gardens and St. Donat’s Church, which dates back to the 12th century, the expansive grounds also feature conserved farms, woods, and the Heritage Coastline.The college’s main structure, St Donat’s Castle, has the Tudor Great Hall, the Gothic Dining Hall, the Bradenstoke Hall, which is used for performances and assemblies, as well as a sizable 25,000-book library.Eight purpose-built boarding houses with a capacity for 48 students each are where students at the institution reside.
Pentti Kouri, Morgannwg, Powys, Whitaker, Gwynedd, Tice, and Sunley are some of the names of the contemporary housing, which is named after either historic Welsh kingdoms or college donors. There are separate hallways for male and female students, and each year group has four students of a different nationality sharing a room. The website claims that the houseparents who are responsible for the teenagers while they are residing at the school reside in “adjacent homes” and “spend a great deal of time interacting and supporting the students.” While several academic departments like History, Economics, and Theory of Knowledge are also housed in the main castle, along with staff offices and student common rooms.
Lessons at UWC start at 8am and end in time for lunch, in contrast to a typical full school day.The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) curriculum and a program of experiential learning that emphasizes important facets of “peace, a sustainable future, and student initiative” make up the two-year Diploma Programme. Biology, Chemistry, Economics, English Literature, Geography, History, Mathematics, and Physics are among the school’s core subjects.
Additionally, there are several options for elective courses, such as Design Tech, Visual Arts, Film Studies, Music, and Global Politics, among others.A minimum of two hours of community service, two hours of physical activity, and an additional two hours of creative activity are required of students each week in addition to their academic work. Sessions take occur on weekdays, weekends, and in the afternoons. The eldest child of the King and Queen, Princess Leonor, 17, left earlier this month for a military institution.
Following in the footsteps of her father, King Felipe, the successor to the Spanish throne must complete the three years as per custom.General Military Academy of Zaragoza adheres to a rigid schedule during the week, much like a boarding school. However, if Leonor is not on manoeuvres throughout the week, she will be allowed to go home.
She will begin her three-year training at the General Air Academy after completing her training at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza, Spain’s version of Sandhurst.
At the Princesa de Girona Foundation award event on July 5 in Girona, Catalonia, the princess, who will turn 18 in October, expressed her excitement about soon becoming a cadet.I recently graduated from high school, and I’m ready to go on a new phase that will include a stint in military training, the woman stated.It is a significant point in my life, and I am really enthusiastic and eager to continue learning and providing my best effort. I am delighted because I know how highly the Spanish appreciate our armed forces.
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