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Will Princess Charlotte be going back to school on Monday?

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - SEPTEMBER 5: Princess Charlotte arrives for her first day of school at Thomas's Battersea in London, with her brother Prince George and her parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on September 5, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Charlotte's year group is supposed to be back at school next week. (Getty Images)

Children across the country are preparing to return to school on Monday, 1 June, as the government ruled schools must reopen for Reception, Year One and Year Six classes.

That means Princess Charlotte, the only daughter of Prince William and his wife Kate, should also be heading back to school with her classmates.

But the princess, who recently turned five, is still in Norfolk, staying with her family at their home on the Sandringham Estate, Anmer Hall.

She and her brother George attend Thomas’s School in Battersea, in south London. Charlotte is in Reception and George is in Year Two.

The government ruling has sparked discussion about whether the family would move back down in order for her to go back to school.

There won’t be any punishments for parents who opt not to send their children back yet.

Read more: Viewers praise 'relatable' Duchess of Cambridge as she discusses homeschooling three young royals in television interview

KING'S LYNN, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 25: Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge attend the Christmas Day Church service at Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate on December 25, 2019 in King's Lynn, United Kingdom. (Photo by UK Press Pool/UK Press via Getty Images)
Charlotte and George have been in Norfolk with their parents and younger brother Louis. (Getty Images)

Russell Myers, the Daily Mirror’s royal editor, told Good Morning Britain: “I think this is very, very interesting and certainly the whole country will be watching this.

“The issue is the different ages of the children, who have been holed up in Anmer Hall in Norfolk with their mum and dad.

“Essentially Princess Charlotte would have to go back to school under the government guidelines on Monday, but the Cambridges are considering keeping the children together and I think a lot of parents who have been homeschooling over the last few weeks will have this conundrum to solve themselves.”

Myers suggested their decision would “send a message” to the government.

Read more: Prince William admits 'hardest time is dinner time' with three children at home

George’s year group hasn’t been told to return to school, so he would still be at home, even if the family returned to Kensington Palace, their London home.

Kate and William have been open about the realities of homeschooling, with William adopting something of a sarcastic tone as he called it “fun” on a number of occasions, while Kate has admitted George would rather do Charlotte’s work.

William, 37, also told carers on a call that “children don’t understand social distancing”, which could indicate his thinking as they grapple with the decision on sending Charlotte back.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s younger brother Prince Louis is not yet at school, as he is two-years-old, but his parents might be planning to send him to nursery in London this year.