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.

[katiebelle]

His mother did a very good job in trying to help those less fortunate. Maybe he will follow and even exceed her efforts. I think it is quite judgemental to write off a human's potential because you don't like his lineage or his nose. When it comes down to it we could all reach out more than we do. We don't have to come from royalty or wealth to expect great things from ourselves. I think it is interesting that we expect more from those who were born into more than we were. The bottom line is that the last page of his biography and yours isn't written yet. What will yours say?

[freedumb2003]

>> The bottom line is that the last page of his biography and yours isn't written yet. What will yours say?<<

I guess (hope) it will say something like: "he worked his whole life from childhood -- he understood the value of work -- he was never given anything in his life -- he respected those who worked hard for what they got and appreciated what they DID get. He was thankful for those who helped him and humble before those who actually had to fight and scratch and yet understood the importance of values over ethera.

What it WON'T say: He chose the right parents -- he had the audacity to think his being born was somehow important -- he looked in the mirror and saw someone who could coast forever and proved it by coasting -- he was subsidised by taxpayers who saw 0% return on their investment -- his sum total of productivity towards his keep was to be a very excellent source of gossip, thus providing value the only reason for the english royalty going.

The hot ticket for this little boy is to renounce the monarchy as being the vestigal organ that it is and promising he will actually WORK FOR A LIVING. But that ain't gonna happen.

And yes, his heredical choice of ears and nose play into this story line. If he was as ugly as the possible comination of his dad and mom could have produced, he would never, ever, be king -- the People wouldn't allow it.

I also reiterate that being born into english royalty is a 365 Rose Bowl Marshallship. They don't and CAN'T (thank God) have any say on anything more miportant that who will preside over the next Maypole Parade.

[gd124]

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.

That isn't true. The Governor-General, who is technically appointed by the Queen but is really appointed by the Prime Minister dismissed the Prime Minister because the Senate refused to pass the governments budget bills.

[Prodigal Son]

I'm probably wrong, I will admit. There is no special stake in it for me. I don't care. But if the Prime Minister appoints the Governor General, how can the Gov Gen dismiss the Prime Minister? Just a question. It seems to me the Australians recently voted to keep the monarchy as the head of state. I know in Canada the situation is as you desbribe- the Gov Gen is appointed on the advice of the Minister or some such but the CIA factbook for Australia and New Zealand definitely lists it differently. Officially, the Queen is the head of state in those two countries and according to them she appoints the Gov Gen who appoints the Prime Minister who's party won the election.

[NYC Republican]

Q: What is William's main qualification for being King? A: Living through birth.

Exactly. That's why I think monarchies should become disgusting relics of the past

[gd124]

The Governor General is supposed to act apolitically. If there is a crisis, he is meant to act in the best interests of Australia. The PM can also dismiss the Governor-General.

[Snuffington]

"It's not a question of wanting to be, it's something I was born into and it's my duty,"

Good for him! Stick with that, and he's likely to make a good king.

[Snuffington]

Does the monarchy have any real powers?

Don't be vulgar.

[plusone]

King of the Who... (Monty Python accent)

[Prodigal Son]

I guess the question is- can the gov gen dismiss the Prime Minister?

[Prodigal Son]

Specifically, I am referring to 1975 when the govenor general intervened to sack the leader of the Labor government. Perhaps, as an American, I am confused to the acutal details. But this is how I remember it.

[gd124]

The gov gen can dismiss the Prime Minister, but he would only do it in extreme circumstances as occured in 1975.

[katiebelle]

he had the audacity to think his being born was somehow important --


I hope mine says that I was important therefore my birth was important. How sad to think that you aren't important. I am important even if it is just in my little world. I hope you are too.

he looked in the mirror and saw someone who could coast forever and proved it by coasting
How many 21 year olds don't try to coast? I know nobody ever did anything for you ever...but the majority of 21 year olds are doing exactly what he is doing. Having fun and finding out who he is. What did any of us know at 21 that we still held to as truth by the time we were 35?

[freedumb2003]

>>I hope mine says that I was important therefore my birth was important. How sad to think that you aren't important. I am important even if it is just in my little world. I hope you are too. <<

I am not important by dint of birth (although, yes, everyone is important in God's Plan, the totality of which I am not privy). In this case, I meant the feeling of being MORE important than everyone else. What is important is each individual's interaction with the world and their respective influence on the milleu. The mere act of existence and choosing the right parents doesn't cut it.

>>How many 21 year olds don't try to coast? I know nobody ever did anything for you ever...but the majority of 21 year olds are doing exactly what he is doing. Having fun and finding out who he is. What did any of us know at 21 that we still held to as truth by the time we were 35?<<

How sad that you think 21 is young enough to coast. By the time someone is 21, they should leave the things of youth behind. We coddle our youth way too much. 21 is 3 years beyond the age of legal adulthood. The very idea that 21 is somehow still childhood is an example of why we have the problems we have today. The construct of "teenager" is a very recent concept (within the last 50 years). For most of humanity's existence, you were a child, then you were a man or a woman, and Welcome to Responsibility.

I stand by my reasoning -- the snot nosed little brat should get a real job and renounce the very, very vestigal concept of a "royalty" in today's world.

But he won't.

[Truth666]

Prince William refused to be King in October 2001 and he never stepped back from that statement.
This declaration was engineered by the royals and the government. This was not an interview, this was a press comunique distributed by Buckimgham Palace.

It's a lie. And it's sad that nobody in this thread denounced this.

Just like in the case of Timothy McVeigh. Nobody ever denounced the manufactured media news that he confessed to be guilty from OKC bombing.
William in the footsteps of Jfk Jr.