Why royals and billionaires, the world’s 1%, send their children to Swiss boarding schools

For the children of kings, billionaires and some of the world's most powerful families, school can be a very different experience.

Their education may take place beside Lake Geneva, their winter months may be spent in the Swiss Alps, and their classmates may include heirs to fortunes and members of royal families from across the world.

But the appeal of Switzerland's most exclusive boarding schools goes beyond beautiful campuses and luxury.

For generations, these institutions have offered wealthy families a combination of international education, independence, security, and something that money alone cannot easily buy: access to an influential global network.A long association with the world's eliteSwitzerland has been attracting wealthy international families to its boarding schools for more than a century.

One of the most famous names is Institut Le Rosey, founded in 1880 near Rolle.According to The Journal, Le Rosey's former students have included the last Shah of Iran, the Aga Khan, King Albert II of Belgium and Prince Rainier of Monaco.