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Inside the elite Swiss school that boards children of the rich and powerful

Former students include the last Shah of Iran, Prince Rainier of Monaco and assorted members of wealthy US families Rockefellers and Rothschilds.

MANY OF THE world’s most wealthy and powerful people were educated in Switzerland’s famed boarding schools, and have sent their children to those same institutions.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un supposedly attended the International School in Bern; Danish royalty were sent to Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil.

But no Swiss institution is as prestigious, expensive, or well-connected as Institut Le Rosey, located near Rolle.

The school, founded in 1880, is considered to be the world’s most expensive private school, with annual tuition (including boarding) around €102,000.

Its alumni network is astounding: Former students include the last Shah of Iran, the Aga Khan, King Albert II of Belgium, Prince Rainier of Monaco, Dodi Al-Fayed, and the children of the royal families of Egypt, Greece, Yugoslavia, Italy and Britain, according to Forbes. The offspring of the American dynasties like the Rothschilds, Rockefellers, and du Ponts also attended.

via LeRoseySwitzerland/Youtube

Håvard M. Ottestad has provided us with some pictures of Le Rosey; click through to see the campus and find out more about the school.

Le Rosey is on two campuses...
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  • Le Rosey is on two campuses...

    One is in Rolle (beside Lake Geneva) for the spring session and the other in Gstaad (a picturesque ski village) for the winter. (Image: Havard M Ottestad)
  • The school teaches a bilingual curriculum in French and English

    Image: Havard M Ottestad
  • All 380 students live in boarding houses here

    Image: Havard M Ottestad
  • Sports include horseriding, badminton, skiing, snowboarding, tennis, dance

    Image: Havard M Ottestad
  • The school doesn't hide that the children are privileged...

    ...They are encouraged also to explore creativity, go on trips, discover their own culture. (Image: Havard M Ottestad)
  • Students take weekend art and theatre trips across Europe

    Image: Havard M Ottestad
  • Mid-October excursions are assigned to exploring new cultures...

    ...some have taken humanitarian trips to Africa and India, while others have travelled to desert destinations to explore life there. (Image: Havard M Ottestad)
  • Thousands of alumni join the International Association of Former Roseans

    Image: Havard M Ottestad

- Julie Zeveloff and Matthew Kassel

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    Mute Stephen Carrick
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:16 PM

    I’d die

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    Mute nf
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 1:12 PM

    Scorpionvenom for a guy afraid of snakes and dying at the thought of it, you’ve a very misleading username

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    Mute Scorpionvenomm
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 1:22 PM

    Scorpion might have something to do with November ha

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    Mute Colin Webber
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 2:30 PM

    I’d cook him and eat him. Ate snake in Thailand. Absolutely delicious.

    29
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    Mute S
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 2:01 PM

    Ultimate game of Snakes & Ladders

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    Mute Rosie Murray
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:13 PM

    First a spider crawled out on front of me this morning… Now I have this to look forward to??!!

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    Mute Fozz
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:15 PM

    Well, in good news, the snake would make short order of the spider…

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    Mute The Girl
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:22 PM

    I don’t think people should be allowed to keep snakes in Ireland.. They’re not very friendly…they escape, can breed and then start turning up in bathrooms and homes..like in Australia. I don’t like snakes…I don’t like them at all, even the non poisonous ones.

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    Mute Ron North
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 1:07 PM

    How can you say they’re not very friendly?

    They’re amazingly friendly, it’s just the language barrier and their intellectual thoughtful nature that makes them seem so aloof.

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    Mute Jim Woodcock
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:15 PM

    Five feet? About the same size as my shnake.

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    Mute TTIP McGowan
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:17 PM

    G’lad.

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    Mute Mark Symmons
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:50 PM

    And made of wood?

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    Mute Marg murphy
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:22 PM

    On my Facebook feed I saw a gigantic yellow snake eating a puppy alive. Now I’ve have a fear not only of snakes but also of scrolling through Facebook. I never want to see that again.

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    Mute Daniel R
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 1:28 PM

    “Where the snake is making a recovery…”
    What about the man??
    He’ll need some serious counselling after that lol

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    Mute James Darby
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:32 PM

    Where’s Saint Patrick when you need him.

    79
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    Mute Barry Barrison
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 1:26 PM

    That’s a just a myth! He’s as big a fraud as jebidiah Springfield!

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    Mute Joe Phillips
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 1:41 PM

    Not exactly… he ‘drove out’ pagan druids who used to have tattoos of serpents on their forearms, apparently.
    Basically, he killed people for not sharing his beliefs.

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    Mute Joe Phillips
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 1:42 PM

    and Jebediah was a perfectly cromulent embiggenator

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    Mute Reg
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:19 PM

    You’d be checking your underpants after that!

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    Mute Proinsias Ó Foghlú
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:44 PM

    Throwing it away!

    32
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    Mute Declan Carr
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 1:21 PM

    I found one years ago on Dollymount beach. I got a fright, i picked it up with a stick put it into a bag and brought it to the zoo, RTE were there at the time covering a vet show. I was as nervous as hell driving over I was afraid it would get out of the bag.

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    Mute Byyys
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:24 PM

    Homeowner did mention that the past owner was a snake!

    36
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    Mute Alan Scott
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:19 PM

    We read a story concerning a huge spider on the Journal.ie some weeks ago and now this snake . I suppose wit

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    Mute John Sheahan
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 1:05 PM

    Must have been hiding out for for paddys day.

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    Mute Randle P. McMurphy
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 1:19 PM

    Last Canvasser found in Dublin Home !

    21
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    Mute Dain Flemming
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:22 PM

    If it wasn’t a sea snake then it wasn’t poisonous…it wasn’t venomous?

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    Mute Richard F
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 5:42 PM

    Nice of the previous owners to let them know there was a snake loose in the attic

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    Mute Terry Cahill
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 4:06 PM

    As regards snakes not being friendly I opened my door one morning in Thailand and there was a beauty sunning itself, but ultimately in my way. I tried reasoning with it, like “Shoo” , ” go away” “I’ll get the manager” but it didn’t oblige. Because I had no idea whether it was dangerous or not I had to sit it out until it decided to slither down a rainspout ! Very uncommunicative indeed ! Inconvenienced me , late for breakfast !!

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    Mute Barry Walsh
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 2:56 PM

    We need bears to tackle these snakes

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    Mute Conor Foley
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 1:38 PM

    Petrol? Check
    Matches? Check

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    Mute Alan Scott
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:22 PM

    We read a story concerning a huge spider on the Journal.ie some weeks ago and now this snake . I suppose with more people bringing them from other Countrys the odd one poping up here and there will happen . As long as they don’t pose to a person’s life its not a problem

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    Mute Alan Scott
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:24 PM

    Apologies for half a post above This phone has a mind of its own

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    Mute Mr D
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 3:03 PM

    And not even a week after St.Patricks day…..

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    Mute The Girl
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:31 PM

    Might not be your phone@Alan. Journal app behaving queer since yesterday…

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    Mute Alan Scott
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 1:26 PM

    @the girl.
    Thank you for that info

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    Mute Keith Wizzy
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 3:58 PM

    Us shirt lifters don’t mind. Just don’t call me a ceiling lifter.

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    Mute Michael Latimer
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:41 PM

    Can you eat it in a stew !!!

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    Mute Steve Tracey
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 4:36 PM

    Michael
    Yes fairly tasty

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    Mute Mrs parrott
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 5:56 PM

    For sure Stephen. The shock alone would kill me.

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 12:42 PM

    I have Rat Snakes in the country all around me. Harmless and help keep the rat population down.

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    Mute phuketirish
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    Mar 23rd 2016, 1:53 AM

    I killed a 5ft Python in Thailand with my bare hands once……when I say bare hands I mean I gripped the steering wheel and drove over that sucker…..still gives me the creeps when I think about it.

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    Mute Blake Murtagh
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 2:25 PM

    #snakesonthebrain

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    Mute Cian Morris
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    Mar 22nd 2016, 8:17 PM

    Jaysus!!

    2
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