...for October 2002

October 28, 2002

• Prince William 'expected photos to be kept at Highgrove'
  
  Prince William would "definitely expect" photographs of him as a boy to be kept safely at Highgrove, a confidante of the royal has told the Old Bailey.
  The court has heard Clair Southwell helped Paul Burrell sort through personal possessions after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.
  
  She said pictures found in the former butler's loft should have been stored at the Prince of Wales's country home in Gloucestershire or at the Spencer family home Althorp.
  
  Asked about negatives of William as a child found in a Thornton's bag in Burrell's house in Farndon, Cheshire, Ms Southwell said: "Prince William would definitely expect such photos and images to be kept safely at Highgrove."
  
  Cards from Diana to William - addressed affectionately to her "Wombat" - which were also found in Burrell's house - were extremely important to him, Ms Southwell told the jury.
  
  "Prince William was always very conscious about where he left his letters. He was aware of what would happen if the letters fell into the wrong hands, therefore he looked after his letters a lot more than Prince Harry did at school."
  
  She said Harry's royal protection officers were constantly running around after him picking up personal letters he had left lying around.
  
  After the death of Diana, Ms Southwell worked at St James's Palace handling the thousands of sympathy cards, flowers and gifts that streamed in from all over the world addressed to her two sons. To avoid upsetting William and Harry, she would reply to most of them on their behalf, the court heard. She met Burrell on March 12, 1998, and a number of other times to sort through personal possessions.
  
  

October 19, 2002

• HARRY SWOTTER Royal crams for Scots uni
  
  FUN-LOVING Prince Harry has been told to swot like crazy to make sure he makes the grade for a Scottish university. Prince Charles, teachers at Eton and Buckingham Palace advisers have all told Harry he must knuckle down to get the 3 A- levels he needs for a place at a top uni. Harry, 18, took a clutch of A/S levels this year, including art, history of art and geography. But he failed two and only scraped through another.
  
  Tutors are worried his past partying could damage his chances in the A- levels, which he will sit next summer. But Prince Charles has had serious talks with his youngest son - and it seems to have paid off. A Royal source said: "Harry is working his socks off. Prince Charles left him in no doubt what was needed and he knows it is his final chance.
  
  "The partying is on the backburner - Harry has vowed to end his wild lifestyle, get his head down and study."
  
  It is thought Harry is keen on Edinburgh or St Andrews, where brother William is studying an arts degree.
  
  But he'll need an A and two Bs at A-level to get in. A St Andrews spokeswoman said: "We don't interview prospective students, but we do look at things like school references and personal statements when considering applications."
  
  Harry's schoolwork suffered badly last year when he was smoking cannabis and drinking heavily. He still smokes cigarettes regularly. Following the scandal, Prince Charles took Harry to a drug rehabilitation clinic.
  
  Harry plans to spend a year between Eton and university playing polo on the international circuit. Buckingham Palace said: "Harry is working hard at school."
  
  

October 24, 2002 -

• DIANA `WANTED SONS TO SHARE JEWELS'
  
  The late Princess Diana left her collection of fabulous jewellery to her sons William and Harry with the intention that they would one day be worn by the Princes´ wives, it was revealed at the Old Bailey yesterday.
  
  Diana’s "letter of wishes" to her executors was read out to the jury at the trial of her former butler Paul Burrell who is charged with theft from her estate. "I would like you to allocate my jewellery to the share to be held for my sons so that their wives may, in due course, have it or use it."
  
  Details of the Princess’ £21 million will were read out by Burrell’s lawyer, Lord Carlile. The former royal servant has denied the three charges of theft of 310 personal items belonging to the Princess, the Prince of Wales, and Prince William.
  
  

October 17, 2002 -

• 21st BIRTHDAY STAMP FOR PRINCE WILLIAM
  
  Prince William is to be the first member of the Royal Family to have stamps issued to celebrate his 21st birthday. Agreement has been reached with Buckingham Palace for the commemorative stamps to go on sale next year in time for the Prince's 21st birthday, on June 21. Royal Mail say they anticipate enormous interest in the stamps from both the public and stamp collectors. Details of the 27p first-class stamps have yet to be finalised in conjunction with the Palace. They will have final approval from the Queen, as all royal commemorative stamps are.
  
  Gavin Macrae, managing director of Royal Mail Stamps and Collectibles, said: "This will be the first time Royal Mail has issued a stamp to commemorate a royal 'coming of age' and we are confident there will be enormous worldwide interest from the public and collectors alike.
  
  "This Royal issue follows a long tradition of commemorative stamps produced to celebrate special events in the life of the Queen and immediate members of the Royal Family."
  
  But it will not be the first time Prince William has appeared on British stamps. The Prince, currently studying history of art at St Andrews University in Scotland, appeared in a special miniature stamp with the Queen Mother, the Queen and the Prince of Wales to celebrate the centenary of the birth of the Queen Mother on August 4, 2000.
  
  St James's Palace declined to comment about the stamps.
  
  

October 11, 2002 -

• THE PRUDENT PRINCE: A year after Wills arrived in Scotland we reveal how he has discreetly blended in at St Andrews
  
  HAMMERING up North Street on his mountain bike, the future king of Britain doesn't have a moment to spare. He and dozens of others are perilously close to being late for their early morning lecture - it is Monday morning after all.
  
  Apart from the blacked-out people carrier which tracks his every move, Prince William could quite easily blend into the ranks of our great student army. Sporting a tousled, just-out-of-bed look, the not-so-fresh prince of St Andrews has returned for another fun-filled semester. With all the hype gone, Wills is just an ordinary student from an extraordinary background, enjoying the thrills and spills of university life. But what does the heir to the throne get up to in a typical week at Scotland's oldest university? Well, poor Wills has drawn the short straw when it comes to unsociable lecture times. Having switched Geography for Art History, the unfortunate prince has early morning classes.
  
  Nothing harsh about that, you may feel, but when you're a student, this might as well count as a dawn start. And it seems the young prince is a fan of the long lie, as fellow students have regularly clocked him making a mad dash for his morning lecture.
  
  A management student said: "I have nine o'clocks every morning not far from the geography building and see William scooting past on his bike."
  
  "He has his rucksack strapped to his back and is always in such a hurry, but he usually arrives dead on time before running inside and joining his classmates inside."
  
  INSIDE, Wills may seem like any other student, but the scene outside confirms there is royalty in the building.
  While William gets to grips with the ups and downs of physical geography, a policeman circles the department on foot and two armed officers drive around the town. After a morning of lectures - and probably an email session or two - HRH mounts his bicycle and heads for home. Like many other second-year students, he has forsaken university halls of residence in favour of a flat and lives with two pals and a bodyguard in a Georgian apartment in the town. His flatmates are 19-year-old Kate Middleton and close friend Fergus Boyd, who lived in the same corridor as William in St Salvator's Hall last year. He even manages to cycle home for lunch.
  
  A physics student who lives in the same street said: "William usually comes home around lunchtime with his two flatmates.
  
  "I guess he just grabs something to eat in the house because I've never bumped into to him in any of the cafes around town."
  
  After a quick bite, it's back to the geography department for afternoon practicals, which take place three times a week.
  Sometimes the sweet-toothed prince takes an alternative route to class via the local confectioners.
  
  A former English student said: "I'm a real chocaholic and I often nip into Burns sweetie shop on Market Street for a sugar fix. One day when I was there, William came in and asked for a quarter of sweeties. I was really surprised." Wills has also been spotted hovering around the pick 'n' mix counter in the town's Woolworths.
  
  A third-year studying psychology said: "I've only ever seen Prince William once and that was in Woolies. He was picking some sweets, but I was so gobsmacked I can't remember what he chose."
  
  For most students, the university day ends at 5pm, but not for Wills - occasionally his lectures finish a little later. The St Andrews system works on a module and credits basis, which means you have to study more than one subject until third year honours. This year, William has chosen to make up his credits with first year moral philosophy and must attend three lectures and one tutorial each week.
  
  A fellow philosophy student revealed: "It's a real pain in the bum having class at that time of night and I'm sure William would agree.
  
  "It's a great subject, though. We discuss a lot of ethical issues, such as euthanasia, pornography and abortion. It's really weird thinking that I'm sitting in the same lecture hall as the future king talking about porno."
  
  After a long day, the student prince walks or cycles home where he and his flatmates take turns making the tea. Once in the house, Wills is faced with a mountain of coursework and he doesn't often venture out on week nights, although he has been spotted in the library with Kate checking out a few books. BUT rest assured - the prince's life is not all work and no play. And when he does go out, he knows how to party. He is a regular at Ma Bells pub on the Scores, which is the hangout for all the poshest guys and gals in St Andrews. The bar is in the basement of the beautiful Golf Hotel and boasts a decor fit for a prince. Even the toilets would meet with royal approval, as the gents comes complete with Molton Brown hand lotion.
  
  A Ma Bells customer said: "William is always surrounded by friends and seems to be having a good laugh. I don't know what his favourite tipple is, but I know it's a lager of some kind."
  
  Cheekily, he added: "Wills attracts all the pretty girls in town, so me and my mates come here to check out the talent that follows him about.
  
  "All the guys seem to dress identically to the prince and the posh birds all have pashmina scarves and little handbags. You can spot his friends a mile off. It's great fun playing spot the ya!"
  
  The pub is always heaving at night and Wills has been spotted boogie- ing away to the latest sounds. An American student on her junior year abroad said: "I've been dying to catch a glimpse of the prince and people told me Ma Bells was the ideal place.
  
  "He was in the other night and some of his pals were choosing the music. Wills was so lovely and he smiled at me when I pushed past him to get to the loo."
  
  When the prince wants to get away from it all, he heads for the Byre Theatre in Abbey Street on the other side of town. The entertainment complex includes a theatre, bar and restaurant, as well as rooms for dance and drama classes. It was completely refurbished last year and provides the perfect haven for an anonymous night out.
  
  A Byre regular said: "I've only seen William in here a couple of times, but he seemed happy and relaxed.
  
  "The theatre gets lots of big stars and shows from time to time, which is perfect for William if he is missing his London lifestyle."
  
  Other St Andrews nightspots where Wills has been spotted include The Gin House in South Street and Broons in North Street. Academically, William's days are jam-packed, but on Wednesday afternoon he gets a chance to chill out. Traditionally, there are no classes in St Andrews after 1pm on Wednesdays, to encourage students to take up a sport. Wills takes advantage of that, travelling out to the sports centre for a couple of hours in the gym. LAST year, the sporty prince played rugby and Sunday league football for St Salvator's Hall, as well as being an avid member of the university's water polo team.
  
  A Sunday league footballer said: "Wills was a really good player and was very fast on the ball. He's a sporting all-rounder and a whiz on the rugby field."
  
  Thursday nights are reserved for water polo and the team trains for two hours in the pool of St Leonard's girls' school. William is one of the team's best players and his flatmate Fergus is also a member.
  The young prince must be glad when Friday rolls around and he can look forward to the weekend. In St Andrews, there is a ball nearly every Saturday and occasionally Wills slips into his tux and joins his friends for a glittering night out. It's only the second week of term, but it looks like Prince William is enjoying life at St Andrews and is set for a happy and prosperous year. His return dispels rumours that he wants to transfer to Edinburgh because he is unhappy at the seaside university.
  
  But now that attention has been drawn away from St Andrews, Wills can carry on with being a typical student in training for a not-so-typical future.
  
  

October 5, 2002 -

• NOW HARRY UP CORPORAL
  
  Delighted Prince Harry has been promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal in the Eton College army cadets. He was presented with his “stripe” by the Combined Cadet Force’s Adjutant, Captain William Prideaux, of the Royal Green Jackets. Harry, 18, is following in the footsteps of Prince William, who won the cadets’ Sword of Honour. Harry’s honour is a relief after he was told last week that he had again been rejected in his bid to become one of Eton’s elite prefects following his drink and drug scandals.
  
  An Eton College source said: “It has been a week of ups and downs for Prince Harry."
  
  “He was desperate to become a prefect like Prince William. But he was delighted when he got made up to Lance Corporal."
  
  “He isn’t a brilliant academic but on the parade ground he is a whizz. He is in the running to become the CCF’s best cadet for the year."
  
  “He is a natural cadet, a crack shot with a rifle, and would make an excellent soldier.”
  
  Aides of Prince Harry claim he is considering an Army career — but he has told pals he would rather be a professional polo player.
  
  

October 2, 2002 -

• WILLS AND FLATMATE KATE COST £500,000
  
  SHE caught his eye on the catwalk - and now stunning student Kate Middleton is set to share a flat with student prince William.
  But the move could cost taxpayers £500,000 in security bills.
  Kate's friendship with Wills came to light at Easter, when he paid £200 for a VIP seat at a fashion show to cheer her on.
  She took to the catwalk in a revealing black lace dress.
  
  Now Wills, Kate and their chum Fergus Boyd are believed to have moved out of the St Andrews University halls of residence and into a private flat.
  
  Despite their closeness, friends insist Kate, 19, and the prince are "just good friends".
  
  Their move out of the safety of the halls has created a costly security headache for Fife Police.And the bill is set to top half a million pounds this year.Gloomy Wills was considering quitting his art history course last year as he struggled to find his feet.But his close friendship with fun-loving Kate helped change his mind.
  The daughter of a company director from Berkshire, she is a popular figure at the university where she has a reputation for enjoying a lively social scene.
  
  Wills returned to St Andrews last week to begin his second student year.
  Extra police have reportedly been drafted in to provide round-the-clock protection.
  It is believed his new flat had to undergo stringent security upgrades before royal protection officers would allow the prince to move in.
  The cost of providing security for Wills at his new home is being met by the Government and will not affect the Fife Police budget.
  Yesterday, a spokesman for St James' Palace said: "We have never confirmed where Prince William will live in St Andrews and do not discuss security matters."
  The prince was originally studying art history at the university, but will now concentrate on geography.
  
  The future heir to the throne was considering quitting St Andrews at the end of last term.
  Friends say he became increasingly frustrated by the constant attention from female American students, who "follow him around like sheep". But he also formed some close friendships.
  He has already caught up with pals in popular Ma Bells pub at the start of the new semester.
  
  Wills is a regular visitor to the bar, mainly frequented by attractive young female students and rugby players. The pub is on the same street as St Salvators Hall, where William lived last year.
  
  A former St Salvators resident said: "At first William seemed quite shy but by the end of the year he was taking part in all the hall activities and would lend a hand in all the charity events."
  
  Last night, SNP shadow education minister Mike Russell, MSP, said: "If it is costing £500,000, then it might have been better if the prince had stayed in the halls of residence, as other students have to."