Wokingham borough is renowned across the south east for its high standard of education, boasting some of the highest-achieving state and independent schools in the country.
It should come as no surprise, then, that the classrooms of our local area have helped shape the minds of figures who have gone on to influence global politics, Hollywood cinema, internet culture, and high-stakes adventure.
Here are five remarkable people who packed their school bags, walked through local school gates, and went on to find massive fame on the world stage.
1. Prince William, The Prince of Wales (Ludgrove School)
Before moving on to Eton College, the future King of England spent his formative educational years right here in the borough. Prince William was enrolled at Ludgrove School, an independent preparatory boarding school in Wokingham, between 1990 and 1995.
His time in the borough marked a unique period for the town, with personal protection officers operating discreetly around the local area.
At Ludgrove, the young prince threw himself into school life, participating heavily in the school’s sports teams, drama productions, and outdoor activities before graduating into senior education.
2. Meg Bellamy (St Crispin’s)
In a fantastic case of art mirroring life, breakout acting sensation Meg Bellamy went from walking the corridors of a Wokingham secondary school to portraying royalty on television.
Bellamy attended St Crispin’s School on London Road, where she was a prominent fixture in the school’s performing arts and drama departments.
Shortly after finishing her education in the borough, she beat out thousands of applicants in an open casting call to land the highly coveted role of a young Kate Middleton in the final season of Netflix’s global mega-hit drama The Crown.
3. Bear Grylls (Ludgrove School)
The world’s most famous survivalist, author, and Chief Scout, Edward “Bear” Grylls, learned some of his very first lessons in teamwork and outdoor resilience right here in town.
Long before he was climbing Mount Everest or eating survival rations on television, Grylls was a pupil at Wokingham’s Ludgrove School.
He has frequently spoken about how his early boarding school years helped foster his deep love for physical fitness and the great outdoors, laying down the psychological foundation for a career defined by pushing human endurance to the absolute limit.
4. Daniel Howell (The Forest School)
Internet titan, comedian, and presenter Daniel Howell spent his teenage years navigating the school run in Winnersh. Howell attended The Forest School on Robin Hood Lane, where he completed his GCSEs and A-Levels.
After leaving school, Howell traded the classroom for a webcam, quickly becoming one of the most recognisable pioneers of early YouTube culture.
Alongside building a digital empire of millions of subscribers, he went on to host a flagship BBC Radio 1 show and sell out global comedy tours, showcasing the dry, sharp wit he honed growing up in the borough.
5. Christian Bale (Dolphin School)
While he famously moved around a lot during his childhood, Hollywood heavyweight and Oscar-winning actor Christian Bale spent a highly influential window of his early education in the borough.
The future Dark Knight star attended Dolphin School in Hurst between 1979 and 1981.
Bale’s brief time at the independent preparatory school occurred right before his breakout role in Steven Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun shot him into international child stardom.
He would eventually become one of the most respected method actors of his generation, but his educational journey included a distinct chapter right here in the local countryside.
