Princess Charlotte is maturing—and embarking on her educational journey!
The young royal will begin nursery school in the new year, as proudly announced by her parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton, on Monday.
At two years old, she will join Willcocks Nursery School starting in January 2018. This school, housed in a church hall, sits adjacent to London's Royal Albert Hall and is just a stone's throw from the family's residence at Kensington Palace.
A palace insider shared with PEOPLE, "They selected that nursery because they considered it an excellent first step for Charlotte's education and were highly impressed by the staff."
Tuition fees at Willcocks amount to £3,050 (or $4,073) per term, with three terms each year. The yearly cost totals £9,150, approximately $12,000. The institution's website states it "strives to maintain its ethos for high standards, excellence and good manners."
"We are delighted that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen the Willcocks Nursery School for Princess Charlotte," the school expressed in a statement released via the couple's office. "We look forward to welcoming Charlotte to our nursery in January."
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The school's website characterizes its environment as "a fun and structured morning with lots of free play where children embark on the first stages of learning to read, write and to understand simple numbers with the minimum of pressure."
William and Kate's decision comes as something of a surprise: Many observers had anticipated that Charlotte would follow her older brother, four-year-old Prince George, to Thomas's Battersea, where he commenced classes in September.
George started nursery at the identical age Charlotte will be—two and a half years old—in January 2016. His school was a Montessori institution a brief drive from the family's countryside residence, Anmer Hall. Unlike George, who attended on a part-time schedule, Charlotte will be enrolled full-time.
This announcement coincides with the release of the family's annual Christmas card, a charming photograph taken at their London home in Kensington Palace.
The upcoming year promises to be significant for the entire family. Beyond Charlotte beginning school, she will also assume the role of big sister when William and Kate welcome their third child this spring. Additionally, Prince Harry is scheduled to wed his fiancée, Meghan Markle, on May 19.
