Will and Harry Unlimited

...For January 2004

January 31, 2004 -

From the Sun

PRINCE WILLIAM loves techno music, says jazz star JAMIE CULLUM.
The heir to the throne is a big fan of dance tunes and loves nothing more than cutting a few shapes on the dance floor. Jamie, who met Wills at the Queen's birthday bash last year, said: "We chatted about music and how we were both pleased certain bands were doing well. We shared a love of electronic music - he likes techno music when he feels like dancing, and I agreed."
He's no Dirty Harry!
JESSICA LAWRENCE and CHRIS TAYLOR

FRIENDS of a Sunshine Coast woman who says she shared a passionate evening with Prince Harry have questioned her version of events. Cindy Butcher has sold her story to Woman's Day magazine, saying she and Prince Harry shared an intimate evening and a marijuana joint at a Sunshine Beach party on his Australian trip last December. The 18-year-old Noosa woman told the magazine she "sat on the Prince's lap" before they lay on the grass, "kissing and cuddling" and that the Prince "wanted to take things further" but she resisted his advances. However, in interviews with The Sunday Mail, friends of the bartender have disputed the article. Lauren Broadbridge, 22, a bartender at the Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Club and student, said she saw no evidence of a passionate liaison between Cindy and the Prince.

"There were about 50 or 60 people at the party for one of our friends who was turning 17 . . . and about 10 of us, including Cindy, went to the party together," she said.

Disputing Cindy's claims to the magazine that she "locked eyes (with Harry) across the pool", Ms Broadbridge said by the time the group arrived, the young royal was holed up in a bathroom to escape unwanted attention. "Myself and another girl at the party went into the bathroom and spoke to Harry for about 10 minutes then went back outside," Ms Broadbridge said.

"After that, we saw Cindy go over and introduce herself to Harry with some other people. But nothing happened between them . . . and we all left the party together about an hour later."

And she insists no one was smoking drugs at the party. Victoria Hargreaves, 30, night manager at the Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Club, also disputes Cindy's claims she "spent the evening with Harry".

"The only contact I saw between Cindy and Harry was when she went up and said hello," Ms Hargreaves said.

"He was mainly talking to blokes . . . he seems very conscious of his image. And I didn't see or smell any drugs."

Ms Butcher did not return calls from The Sunday Mail.

January 28, 2004 -

Wills and Harry's Fame Cemented at Eton

Though Prince William – known as William Wales at his current institution, St Andrews University – has always insisted he be treated as just another student, he and his brother Harry have earned special recognition from their common alma mater. Eton College, where both Princes were once students, has had their names carved on the door into the Upper School. Reading Prince William of Wales and Prince Henry of Wales, the engraving is an exclusive honour bestowed on standout alumni over the course of hundreds of years.

"There are thousands of names carved there, mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries," headmaster Tony Little told the Daily Mail. "It is now only done in certain circumstances – for example, if someone has forebears whose names are on the wall, and if a special request is made by the family. For (the Princes), it seemed appropriate."

January 26, 2004 -

If only Harry could re-light his mother's torch

How sensible of Prince Harry to spend part of his gap year in Africa.
He will find that continent a good tutor. There is such a lot to be
done, so much of it out of reach, that he will discover "the art of
the possible".

On the up side, there is less fighting in Africa than there was.
Angola, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Liberia have ended their wars. But
Somalia remains lawless, the Congo a shambles and Sudan unsettled.

There is much to learn from those working to make things better,
ignoring bad government and corrupt practices, refusing to be
discouraged, but rolling up their sleeves and getting on with it.
Healthcare is a challenge everywhere, partly because it has so little
money.

It may be that Africa's figures for the Aids epidemic have been
exaggerated; but it is bad enough, and orphans are piling up a huge
social problem. Some blame the Church for lack of progress in family
planning and safer sex; Africa's culture has more to do with it.

Prince Harry will discover that "Africa for Africans" is a stronger
current of thought than we sometimes suppose. Mugabe in Zimbabwe has
turned it into a tyranny, so there is little to be learnt there.
Mbeki of South Africa is the man to watch. He reflects a resentment
of the West's superior ways which may not prevail but will carry
influence.

One hope for Africa is the women who are procuring a good education.
Some of them are in quiet rebellion against the male domination that
has long prevailed through most of the continent, not always for
Africa's good.

Unless our profession makes it too difficult for him, it would be
good if Prince Harry could re-light the torch his mother shone on
Africa's landmines. War's legacy has put tens of thousands of fertile
acres in Africa out of bounds.

The de-mining teams work on, but it's slow and expensive work.
Victims still die or are crippled by anti-personnel mines, but one by
one, so few notice them - or care. A fresh flame is needed there.
Wills Gets Own PR Guru

Royal heart-throb Prince William, 21, has been known for his reluctance to be in the spotlight, but now he's finally agreed to take on his own press secretary. The Prince, who already has a personal assistant, will apparently hire a PR expert when he wraps up his four-year degree course at St Andrews University. According to Britain's Daily Mail, the communications secretary post, paid for by Wills' dad Prince Charles, will operate from Clarence House.

"In principle, William will have someone in-situ towards the end of next year," a royal aide told the newspaper. "He or she will be dedicated to looking after him and Prince Harry."

January 22, 2004 -

Harry to rough it in Africa
By PAUL THOMPSON
Royal Correspondent
PRINCE Harry is to find out what it is like to live among poor people ā€” during a two-month trip to Africa. The 19-year-old royal will take part in a community project helping poverty-stricken villages. He will build homes and teach young mothers and children new skills. It will mean eight-hour days lifting building materials in fierce heat. The Prince has already spent part of his gap year as an Aussie cowboy.

A Palace insider said: "He doesn't mind getting his hands dirty. He knows it could be a tough two months but he's more than up for it."

His exact destination has not been revealed for security reasons.
Prince Harry heads for Africa

Prince Harry is to spend the next part of his gap year in Africa helping young mothers and disadvantaged children, Clarence House has announced. During his eight-week trip, Harry will visit a number of locations and community projects. The 19-year-old prince will help with building initiatives, and experience first-hand the work of international agencies and charitable organisations. The Africa trip reflects Harry's personal interest in helping people with severe health difficulties, as well as mothers and children who lack social support and educational opportunities, a Clarence House spokesman said. For security reasons, the exact locations are not being disclosed. The teenage prince has already spent part of his gap year in the Australian outback working as a jackaroo. Harry is destined for a career in the army and, after one - or possibly two - gap years, he will enrol at the elite Sandhurst military academy.
Prince Harry to join aid projects in Africa

Prince Harry is to spend the next part of his gap year in Africa helping young mothers and disadvantaged children. During his eight-week trip, Harry will visit a number of locations and community projects. The 19-year-old prince will help with building projects, and see first-hand how international agencies and charitable organisations provide aid and support to people in difficult circumstances. The Africa trip reflects Harry's personal interest in helping people with severe health difficulties, as well as mothers and children who lack social support and educational opportunities, said a Clarence House spokesman.

For security reasons, the exact locations are not being disclosed. The teenage prince has already spent part of his gap year in Australia working as a jackaroo cowboy. Harry is destined for a career in the army and, after one - or possibly two - gap years, he will enrol at the elite Sandhurst military academy.
Prince to show his serious side in Africa

By Andrew Pierce
The Times

PRINCE HARRY is to retrace the footsteps of his late mother when he spends two months in Africa as part of his gap year. The Prince, 19, will work with charities dedicated to helping women and disadvantaged children.

Clarence House declined for security reasons to release any details of the Prince's itinerary.

Prince Harry will be involved in construction projects and learn how aid agencies and charities operate. His mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, was an envoy for the Red Cross and spent time in Angola and Mozambique for the charity. After her visit to Angola in January 1997, to raise awareness about landmines, the number of countries attending meetings towards an anti-landmine treaty doubled to more than 100, and millions of pounds were donated to treat the annual toll of 20,000 landmine victims.

A Clarence House spokeswoman said: "The trip reflects Harry's interest in helping people with health difficulties or who lack social and educational opportunities."

The Prince of Wales is fully supportive of the trip. His son's gap year is expected to stretch to two before he goes to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where he has won a commission.

"He hopes that the Africa trip will prove that there is a serious side to him, too," a royal courtier said. "He does not want to be regarded as a playboy prince."

Britain's top policeman yesterday promised an exhaustive investigation into the allegations surrounding the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Sir John Stevens, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, who has been asked by the royal coroner to investigate the death before a full inquest is held next year, said on BBC News 24: "As a police officer, you don't start off with any theories. You go where the evidence takes you."

As forecast in The Times, Sir John said he would "absolutely" question the Prince of Wales if it was necessary.

January 13, 2004 -

Renee Zellweger reveals Prince William desire

Renee Zellweger says she would like to date Prince William. The Bridget Jones actress has her sights set on a British royal and says the 21-year-old prince is top of her list. In an interview with This Morning, the actress laughed off reports that she once dated Prince Andrew.

But she said: "Wasn't that great! I got phone calls from my friends all over Europe saying, 'what's going on here?' I was really surprised and very proud of myself. I called my mum! Prince Andrew, that's fine. Prince William would be nice too, please, can somebody get that one going?"

Zellweger, 34, has said she fears remaining an eternal singleton, just like Bridget Jones. Her relationship with Jack White, of the White Stripes band, recently broke up and her string of failed romances includes Jim Carrey and George Clooney. The actress is currently appearing in Civil War drama Cold Mountain and will next be seen in Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason. Coming back to Britain to film the sequel was a lot of fun, she said.

"It feels more familiar to me now. I have my favourite pizzeria, you know, I take a walk down to Harvey Nicks on the weekends. It's probably more fun this time, I would say," she said.

January 12, 2004 -

Prince William considers a job at royal bank

In an effort to gain some vital experience about handling finances, Prince William plans to join the royal family's own bank, Coutts and Co William needs to know how to handle high finance as he will inherit the money-spinning 'Duchy of Cornwall' from his father when Charles becomes King, The Sunday Mirror reported on Sunday.

"He realizes that the Duchy of Cornwall isn't just about shortbread biscuits", a Royal aide said.

"He needs experience dealing with millions of pounds to understand how to run a business like the Duchy." "Charles saw himself as a farmer and thought that was all he needed to run the Duchy. You have to be prepared for the financial side that goes with it."

21-year-old William has a gold card account with Coutts and is considering taking a job there, the tabloid stated. Ironically his great grandmother, the Queen Mother, had a reported 4 million pounds overdraft at the bank- and his aunt Fergie, the Duchess of York, was an estimated 4.2 million pounds in the red at Coutts, the report said. It was thought that William would opt for an army career when he finishes his Geography course at St Andrews University in two years time.

January 11, 2004 -

HOW MUCH MORE CAN HARRY AND WILLS TAKE?

Selina Scott

HOW much more can Prince Charles take? screamed last week's headlines following the revelation that Diana had named her husband as the person she feared might try to kill her in a note she handed to her former butler Paul Burrell. Few would blame Charles if he did decide to leap on to his polo pony and ride off into the sunset.

How many of us would emerge from the barrage of hostile publicity he's been subjected to with a shred of self-confidence intact?

But although he has visibly aged, Charles will prove in time that he has been strengthened rather than destroyed by his ordeal. Most people will find Diana's accusations frankly ludicrous. But after a week in which Channel 4 ran two hours of Di's Guys listing her alleged bizarre choice of male companions, the men in her life I feel sorriest for are her two sons. Maybe we should be asking how much more William and Harry should be expected to take, especially at their age. As for Charles, few errant husbands have suffered as much from the wrath of a scornedwife. For the prince, even six years after Diana's death, the nightmare goes on.

The latest police inquiry guarantees that he will be making all the wrong headlines for at least another 15 months. No monarch or heir to the throne in recent history has been subjected to such vilification. But I believe the Charles who emerges from Dianagate will have been forged and tested as no prospective monarch has ever been. He should remember that the night is always darkest just before the dawn.

January 8, 2004 -

Furious William Cancells Burrell Meeting

Prince William has abandoned plans to meet Paul Burrell because he blames the former royal butler for the latest scandal to embroil Prince Charles.

He is furious that his father has been accused of a bizarre plot to kill his late mother because Mr Burrell handed a private letter to a tabloid newspaper. Both William and younger brother Harry believe the claim is "outrageous" and that Mr Burrell will betray their family again by not keeping any meeting between them secret.

A senior source said: "William wanted to tell Burrell exactly what he thought of him face to face. But he now believes that any meeting would be used against him. If there was any faint chance of the princes meeting Burrell it has now slipped off the agenda. There is a limit to how many times Burrell can swear he is taking Princess Diana's secrets to the grave and then reveal them a few days later. As far as the princes are concerned he has betrayed them and their mother's memory."

William reportedly fell out with his younger brother over the idea of a meeting. William had wanted to see Mr Burrell to try to persuade him not to reveal more secrets - but Harry refused and made it clear he would snub any meeting. Prince Charles, who was always concerned about such a confrontation, said he would support his sons whatever they decided to do. But Harry was adamant and called Mr Burrell "two-faced", saying he was always convinced any confrontation with the princes would be turned into a money-spinning circus. The development comes as controversy continued to surround the inquest and Scotland Yard inquiry into Diana's death. Today a former top royal protection squad police chief called the new investigation ordered by royal coroner Michael Burgess "an absolute travesty". Retired Chief Superintendent Dai Davies, in charge of protec ting the royal family between 1995 and 1998, described the new investigation as a "disgrace".

He said: "It is an absolute travesty and abuse of public money which defies belief and common sense. How many millions of pounds of public cash is going to be squandered on this needless investigation? It is an insult to those who carried out the initial inquiries in France and Britain, and to those in the medical profession who dealt with the princess. The suggestion that Prince Charles had anything to do with the princess's death is an outrageous slur. I take grave exception to these allegations being made."

The latest twist finally persuaded-William to reject the Burrellmeeting. He came to his decision-after talking to Harry. The source added: "Harry was always against a meeting as he felt it was pandering to Burrell's attention-seeking and self-interest." The former servant said he would not cash in on Diana's memory but changed his mind after the collapse of his Old Bailey trial for theft. William and Harry, once close to the man Diana apparently called her rock, issued a statement accusing Mr Burrell of "cold and overt betrayal". Against the advice of senior courtiers, William asked his lawyers to arrange a meeting with Mr Burrell, hoping to shame him into future silence. Prince Philip was among those who believed William, as a future king, should not meet the disgraced ex-butler because it would "dignify his treachery".
Boys will not meet Burrell

By PAUL THOMPSON

BIGMOUTH Paul Burrell has BLOWN any hope he had of meeting Princes William and Harry — because they blame him for the latest nightmare to hit Prince Charles. They are furious that their dad was accused of wanting Princess Diana dead. And they do not trust ex-butler Burrell to keep any meeting secret.

A royal aide said: "If there was a faint chance of the boys meeting Burrell, it has now slipped from the agenda."

William and Harry suggested the meeting after Burrell, 45, published his controversial book A Royal Duty. It came after they appealed to him to stop cashing in on their mother. The book contained a sensational letter in which Diana said someone was plotting to kill her in a car accident. The person said to want her dead was blacked out — but it was revealed this week that Di was referring to Prince Charles. Burrell is paid by the Mirror as a royal commentator. But he insists he did not want Charles named. Courtiers at Clarence House had warned the Princes that Burrell would use any meeting to his advantage. Their dad was also against it but insisted they could make up their own minds.

January 6, 2004 -

Harry Fans Prefer Their Prince Looking 'Tufty and Tousled'

It seems that our readers prefer their handsome princes to keep their hair on, judging by how thousands of you voted in our Prince Harry poll. The young royal's picture flooded the press a couple of months ago, after he shaved off his shaggy locks.

The 19-year-old turned out for the Rugby World Cup in Brisbane with his trademark mane replaced with a tight, military crop. The England rugby team won their match, and went on to win the entire tournament, but it seems some royal-watchers were rather disappointed with the new-look crop-top Prince. Over 4,000 of you logged on to vote in our "Best Image For Harry" survey, with an overwhelming majority of you preferring his "tufty, tousled look". Those in favour of the Prince's "close shave" only accounted for 25 per cent of the poll. But regardless of whether he's looking shorn or shaggy, most fans would agree that Harry rarely has a bad hair day.

January 5, 2004 -

A BLOODY DISGRACE

Fury as royals carry on shooting

By Aidan Mcgurran

THE Royal Family outraged anti-blood sport campaigners with their fifth shooting expedition since Christmas at the weekend. Prince Philip, 82, and his youngest son Prince Edward were among a party blasting pheasant out of the sky. The Duke was reportedly planning to give up shooting because of age and failing eyesight. But on Saturday at Sandringham in Norfolk, there was little sign of any wish to take up sedentary pursuits.

An onlooker said: "The pair of them had a field day and bagged countless birds. Philip seems as much of a crackshot as ever."

One estate worker added: "The gamekeepers are going to have to continue lining up hundreds of birds for him to slaughter."

Last week Philip's grandsons William and Harry showed again that the family hobby is being passed down the generations. The princes joined a group of friends to kill boar, stag and partridges on the Duke of Westminster's estate near Madrid.

William, 21, and Harry, 19, were accused by the League Against Cruel Sports of "killing for kicks". Yesterday Animal Aid turned more fire on Philip and Edward, 39.

Its director Andrew Tyler said: "There seems to be no end to the Royal Family's lust for blood.

"It is surely time they heeded the mood of the nation and gave up this disgusting and undignified so-called sport. Prince Philip in particular can't be as steady as he used to. He should now swap his guns for a pair of slippers and relax with a glass of port.

"The Queen was supposedly distressed about her corgi being savaged by Princess Anne's dog. She should realize that pheasants shot for pleasure by her family have lives that should be cherished. There is nothing noble in shooting down birds that have been mass-produced for sport."

It is thought the Queen and Edward's wife Sophie met the shooting party for lunch at a lodge on the 20,500-acre estate. Normally they would have been retrieving dead birds, but the Queen is recovering from knee surgery and Sophie has a new baby. At church at Sandringham yesterday, Sophie told well wishers that daughter Louise was "well and growing fast". Lady Louise was born prematurely by Caesarean section nearly two months ago.