Acclaimed actor Benedict Cumberbatch has made a definitive decision about his children's education, firmly stating that his three sons will not be following in his footsteps to his prestigious and expensive former school.
A Father's Stance on Elite Education
The Sherlock star, who learned his craft at the £64,000-a-year Harrow School, was unequivocal when discussing future plans for his children with his wife, theatre director Sophie Hunter. 'Not unless they really want to, but no way,' the actor declared, confirming that both he and his wife are in complete agreement on the matter.
Cumberbatch elaborated with a deeply personal sentiment, highlighting his desire to be a hands-on parent. 'Selfishly, I want them around – I still want to be there, in case the call comes, [when] the fall happens, I wanna be there,' he shared, underscoring the importance of his physical presence in his children's daily lives.
Praise for an Alma Mater He Won't Choose
Despite his firm decision for his own family, the 49-year-old actor did not hesitate to praise the institution that shaped his early years. He acknowledged Harrow for its 'amazing facilities and very structured timetable'.
The school, which boasts an illustrious list of alumni including Winston Churchill and James Blunt, was founded in 1572 under a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth I. It remains a boarding school exclusively for boys aged 13 to 18.
Family Life and a New Film Role
The news comes after the actor enjoyed a rare date night with his wife Sophie, 47, at a New York screening of his latest film, 'The Thing With Feathers' last Wednesday. Cumberbatch looked dapper in a navy suit, while Hunter cut a chic figure in a black sequin dress.
In the movie, which hit UK cinemas on October 24, the Emmy winner plays a widowed father struggling to cope with his wife's sudden loss, with grief depicted as a large crow. This role resonates with his own experiences of fatherhood.
Cumberbatch married Sophie Hunter in 2015, and the couple have three sons together: Christopher, 10, Hal, eight, and Finn, six. The actor has previously opened up about how becoming a father has profoundly changed him, making his emotions 'paper thin'.
'That's what changes how you act, when you become a father,' he told The Times. 'It isn't necessarily crossovers between your experience and the character's, it's that you become an unfettered channel to stuff that you weren't before. Barbie makes you cry and other things make you angry.'
