William: It's my duty to reign

The Sunday Times (U.K.) ^ | 06/22/03 | Nicholas Hellen

[Pokey78]

PRINCE WILLIAM marked his 21st birthday yesterday with a declaration that he has come to terms with his destiny to be king.

His statement makes it clear he will accede to the throne after his father, the Prince of Wales, and that he has overcome his anxiety about living his life under public scrutiny.

"It's not a question of wanting to be, it's something I was born into and it's my duty," he said in an interview released on the eve of his coming-of-age party at Windsor Castle last night.

"Those stories about me not wanting to be king are all wrong. Sometimes I do get anxious about it but I don't really worry about it a lot. I think about it a lot but they are my own personal thoughts."

The prince also spoke of his desire to make the monarchy "relevant" to people's lives and talked of his admiration for the Queen. He went on to quash reports that he has a serious girlfriend.

The influence of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, shines through in his definition of kingship.

"It's all about helping people and dedication and loyalty which I hope I have — I know I have," he said.

But the clear impression of the interview, and new photographs released with it, is that, as he matures, the Windsor in him is becoming stronger.

The birthday portraits taken by Mario Testino, the fashion photographer, appear to show a slight fading of the tousled fresh-faced looks of his teenage years that he inherited from his mother.

William said it would be "dangerous" to predict future changes in the monarchy. "Modernisation is quite a strong word to use with the monarchy because it's something that's been around for many hundreds of years," he said. "But it's important that people feel the monarchy can keep up with them and is relevant to their lives."

The enthusiastic scenes that greeted William last week at his public engagements in Wales confirmed his status as the lone superstar of the royal family.

But in the interview the prince emphasised his position as a member of the wider family "firm", and said he would not undertake solo engagements until he leaves university in the summer of 2005.

"There is a great sense of loyalty and dedication among the family and it rubs off on me," he said.

After an earlier appeal to people to give his "amazing" father "a break", he was equally effusive about the Queen. "She's a huge role model for me — she's incredible," he said.

"My grandmother has achieved so much in her lifetime and she's just so experienced. She's been put in some really difficult positions and yet she handles it very well. What she's done for this country is amazing."

•  The second most senior bishop in the Church of England is to call today for the coronation service of the Prince of Wales to be a "multicultural" event designed to reflect the diversity of modern Britain. David Hope, archbishop of York, will call for the oath taken by the Queen and past monarchs to uphold the "Protestant, reformed religion" to be dropped.

[ErnBatavia]

One more generation of inbreds....oh, well - it's their country.

At least he doesn't take after dad...

[rodeo-mamma]

His use of the word "duty" seems more akin with our word of "entitlement."

He can put whatever spin he wants on his "duties" but boy am I as pleased as punch we did away with the monarchy in this country as the 4th of July will soon testify to.

By the way, what is it with his grammar? Does he go out of his way to seem not well spoken? Is that how the royals cope with their guilt over being "better then the rest?"

One thing it brings to mind, you don't have to be a bright bulb to be a prince. Lord knows his dad already proved that point!

[Fraulein]

"It's all about helping people and dedication and loyalty which I hope I have"i>

So it's not all just about mooching off the public dole?

[cardinal4]

At least he doesn't take after dad...

Has anyone ever seen Alfred E. and Prince Chawles in the same room?

[Sir Gawain]

Does the monarchy have any real powers?

[StatesEnemy]

Why do the kooky Brits continue to support these parasites?

MadIvan, Care to share some insight?

[liberalnot]

roflmao!

the odd thing is, the windsors are germans!

[Porterville]

He looks nothing like his dad because his "dad" doesn't like women, Camilla Parker Bowles is a man baby.

[Fraulein]

The monarch now exists as just a farce. Nothing more.

Who takes these folks seriously?

[nothingnew]

I got your "reign" right here, ya little punk!...Go make a living you spoiled fargin' brat. Royalty!...Hah!.....I've got so many scenes and lines from Monty Python I can't even think straight.

Ya little pisser.

FMCDH

[ladyinred]

Prince William looks so much like his mother it is almost eerie. I do hope he remembers her wish that he be mindful of the "little people", and show more humanity than perhaps his father has.

[basil]

Two bits says his dad will never be King.

[lonestar]

PUH-LEEEEZ!

[ffusco]

"Come to terms with his destiny to be King......."

What a hoot! So solemn and dignified I'm sure! So heavy is the head that gets to live the life of Riley- A good will, ambassador playboy, exemplar of the useless rich.

Talk about hitting the Lottery!

[PJ-Comix]

Q: What is William's main qualification for being King?

A: Living through birth.

[xm177e2]

Yeah, it worked out real well for Diana.

[ffusco]

What are you implying? The circumstances surrounding her death are cause for some debate.

[McGavin999]

I think William will be a good king. Who knows what he might accomplish. I disagree with those on the thread who think the monarchy is nothing, it's an important tradition for the Brits. I'm glad we don't have one, but I think it would be a mistake for the Brits to give it up. It's such a part of their history and if it was removed, a lot of what makes Britain....well...British, would be gone forever.

[Prodigal Son]

The Queen of England is the Chief of State in Australia, New Zealand and Canada (as well as other countries I believe).

According to the CIA world fact book on Australia:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II...

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general...

This same set of affairs exists in New Zealand. In Canada it is slightly different. I know in the past the Queen actually intervened with the elected gov't in Australia when it was deemed too radical- she removed it. So it would seem that she does indeed have some power somewhere in the world. She's also the head of the Church of England, the Commander in Chief of Britain's armed forces and she's got a lot of money which is a form of power in itself. I might be mistaken but I think she actually has a bit more power in some parts of the world than she does in the UK although, that might be a mistake on my part.