WILLS: MY AMERICAN DREAM
May 4 2003
By Colin Wills And Susie Boniface
article from
www.sundaymirror.co.uk
PRINCE William has told courtiers planning for his future that he would prefer to spend a few years living in the States after he finishes his degree.
He says he would enjoy a "free and easier" lifestyle there away from the Royal spotlight in Britain.
Such a move was described as unprecedented by constitutional experts last night.
A courtier said: "William is determined to maintain a degree of anonymity and feels America offers him the best chance of that.
"At the moment it is under discussion, with New York as the option he prefers. It would be to work in a gallery, auction house or even to take a post-graduate degree. Various options are being discussed. It would be for a year or perhaps two.
"Despite some security concerns, it is likely the move really will happen because William usually gets what he wants.
"He has loved the peace and freedom that St Andrews University has brought him away from the London spotlight. Like his mother, he wants his independence - and is convinced the States will offer that to him."
Traditionally, the royal princes join the armed forces immediately after leaving school or university. Prince Harry has already said he wants to join the Army.
But William is determined to put the knowledge he has picked studying History of Art and Geography at St Andrews to use in the civilian world for a couple of years before considering that option.
During discussions with Prince Charles and aides at St James's Palace, William is said to have been "forthright" in his determination to go to America.
He is likely to either take a post-graduate degree at an American college or a job with an auction house.
Princess Diana loved the States so much at one time she even talked of moving there - and her constant praise of the country while William was growing up had a profound influence.
William, who is 21 next month and will finish his St Andrews course in the summer of 2005, is also said to have been influenced by chats with one of his cousins, Lady Gabriella Windsor.
Gabriella, daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, is already studying in America, at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island - and is said to love the lifestyle there.
But William's main reason for wanting to go to America is that he feels he stands more of a chance of preserving his anonymity there.
Only yesterday he faced fresh intrusion when one of his flatmates, fellow St Andrews student Kate Middleton, 20, was reported to be his current girlfriend.
The claim was quickly denied by her parents. "I spoke to Kate just a few days ago and can categorically confirm they are no more than just good friends," said her father, company director Michael Middleton, at the family's £500,000 mansion near Newbury, Berks.
"People do not seem to realise that there are two girls and two boys sharing the flat at the university. They are together all the time because they're the best of pals - and yes, cameramen are going to get photos of them together.
"But there is nothing more to it than that. We are very amused at the thought of being in-laws to Prince William, but I don't think it is going to happen."
Like Wills, Kate is in her second year at St Andrews, and can often be found drinking with him at the Ma Bells pub in the town. They enjoy plenty of time together sharing a £400-a-week Georgian flat with two fellow students - a girl and boy.
The most recent rumour of a relationship between Kate and William was fuelled by friends after they were seen "looking cosy" together at a rugby tournament at St Andrews.
Mr Middleton, 54, who runs a mail order business selling children's party toys, said: "They are just good friends who enjoy each other's company. People are always going to try to make more of an issue out of it. We are very amused by it all.
"I spoke with Kate just a few days ago and if there was anything going on, she would have told us."
According to royal biographer Ingrid Seward in her new book William And Harry, William is self-mocking about the power his position supposedly gives him over women.
His favourite chat-up line is "Hi, I'm the future king, wanna pull?". This is often said in a flat tone, loaded with irony.
He has had several casual girlfriends, some of whom have been invited to spend weekends at the Balmoral royal estate in Scotland.
He is also getting on better with his younger brother, especially after Harry gained a reputation as a bit of a drinker and party-goer. William was secretly delighted at this streak of rebellion.
He does like possessions, the favourite of which is a handmade shotgun given to him by Charles and costing £20,000. Other presents given to him by his father include a VW Golf car and a black silk top hat costing £1,200. Temperamentally he is a cross between his laid-back dad and his fiery grandfather, Prince Philip. He is generally courteous to servants - a trait drummed into him by Diana - but can easily fly off the handle and has a fluent command of four-letter words.
Anyone who crosses him needs a good set of earplugs.
His obsession with privacy has now grown to the extent that it dominates every aspect of his life. At St Andrews, where he begins each day with 11 minutes of vigorous physical exercise in his room, he leads a Spartan existence, keeping himself very much to himself.
And, according to Ms Seward, he shows all the signs of being tired with his royal role already. She says one of his most vivid childhood memories is of Diana voting 250 times in a TV phone-in poll for the abolition of the monarchy. And when the show asked whether William should take the throne instead of Charles, it was William's turn to pick up the phone - he dialled the "No" number again and again.
When he reaches 21 in six weeks time, he will be able to draw on a £2million trust fund set up for him by the Queen Mother. Through astute investment, this has now turned into £3million. Then at 25 William will get another £22 million trust.
He has been dreading the explosion of publicity and celebration that is bound to happen on June 21, the date of his coming-of-age.
Originally there were plans for a huge open-air rock concert at Windsor Castle, mirroring the Queen's Jubilee Concert last year which starred Atomic Kitten and Ozzy Osbourne.
Instead, the big day will be marked with the very minimum of fuss. There will be a formal celebration at Windsor Castle - a stuffy affair with the great and good and foreign royalty. The only time William is likely to let his hair down is at a private bash for his mates at Highgrove, where he hopes to get one of his favourite bands along. He has reluctantly agreed to do a few interviews on his life at St Andrews because he feels it is expected of him. He will also carry out a few public engagements around the time of his birthday. Last night constitutional experts said the idea of a future king moving to live or study abroad was startling.
Royal biographer Professor Ben Pimlott said: "It is usually the traditional fate of all male heirs to go straight into the armed forces and spend some time there.
"All the Queen's sons did that, not very successfully in Prince Edward's case. Until recently royals didn't even go to university and William would certainly be the first to study as a post-graduate.
"To go abroad in his position would be unprecedented."
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