Watson was born in Paris, France, the daughter of English lawyers Jacqueline Luesby and Chris Watson.[3][15][16] Watson lived in Maisons-Laffitte near Paris until the age of five. Her parents separated when she was young; following their divorce, Watson moved to England to live with her mother in Oxfordshire while spending weekends at her father's house in London.[3][17] Watson has stated that she speaks some French, though "not as well" as she used to.[18] After moving to Oxford with her mother and brother, she attended the Dragon School in Oxford, remaining there until 2003.[3] From the age of six, she wanted to become an actress,[19] and trained at the Oxford branch of Stagecoach Theatre Arts, a part-time theatre school where she studied singing, dancing, and acting.