They already have Harry and Meghan.
And now, Canada is about to boast another royal connection – a franchise of Prince Charles’s former school is to open in Nova Scotia.
The immediate heir to the throne famously referred to his time at Gordonstoun as “Colditz in Kilts”.
And now, a consortium is to replicate the Moray school’s ethos across the Atlantic, with a 250-acre campus in Annapolis County.
It is planned that Gordonstoun Nova Scotia will open in the Autumn of 2021.
Last year Gordonstoun announced a long-term multi-school agreement to open Gordonstoun Schools in China, and the Canada announcement is the next phase of its plan to develop a small network of franchise schools around the globe.
Principal Lisa Kerr said: “This agreement will pave the way for more children to benefit from an education based on Gordonstoun’s unique ethos, which combines high academic achievement with exhilarating outdoor experiences and a strong commitment to service to the community.
“From our first meeting, we have been struck by how everyone involved in this exciting project shares our commitment to growing the reach and impact of Gordonstoun’s educational values. Edward Farren and other members of the project team have visited Gordonstoun many times and we were also delighted to welcome Stephen McNeil, Premier of Nova Scotia (who was born in Annapolis County), to Gordonstoun.
The Nova Scotia campus will have the Kurt Hahn philosophy at its core. Gordonstoun’s founder and visionary educationalist Kurt Hahn believed that young people flourish when their horizons are broadened beyond their academic potential. He set out to develop qualities of compassion, honesty, initiative, and a thirst for adventure and a sense of service to others in them.”
The consortium will be led by Canadian businessman Edward Farren, with the co-operation of the local government.
The Gordonstoun Nova Scotia campus lies between the sea and the hills, mirroring the setting of Gordonstoun in Scotland.
Gordonstoun’s links to Nova Scotia date back hundreds of years. The main building within the school, Gordonstoun House, was originally owned by Sir Robert Gordon who was the first Baronet of Nova Scotia and granted 16,000 acres on the coast of Nova Scotia for the Barony of Nova Scotia in 1625.
Annapolis County Warden Timothy Habinski added: “Gordonstoun Nova Scotia promises to bring the world to our doorstep, and, in turn, to share the values of our County – compassion, volunteerism, creativity and persistence – with communities around the globe. That one of the most beautiful sites in Nova Scotia can be redeveloped for this project as a community anchor institution is a real cause for celebration.”