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Prince William graduates from university
Prince William, the second in line to the British throne, graduated from university watched by his family, including grandmother Queen Elizabeth II who recently suffered a bad cold.
The 23-year-old, who is contemplating a career in the army, achieved a 2:1 masters degree in geography from St. Andrews University, Scotland, where he has spent the past four years tucked away from the prying eyes of the media. But a deal with the press to leave William alone during his studies expires at the end of graduation week, after which the prince is due to take a holiday in New Zealand to join the British Lions on their rugby tour and carry out his first solo engagements on behalf of the queen.
"Today is a very special day for me and I am delighted that I can share it with my family, and in particular with my grandmother, who has made such an effort to come, having been under the weather," William said in a statement. The 79-year-old queen was forced to cancel a number of engagements over the weekend and at the start of the week after a sore throat developed into a bad cold, but she managed to make the long journey from London to celebrate her grandson's big day. William's father Prince Charles, accompanied by his new wife the Duchess of Cornwall, also watched the ceremony, beaming broadly. Dressed in a black gown and white bow tie, the prince, whose mother Princess Diana died in a tragic car accident almost eight years ago, is one of 260 students to graduate from the university along with girlfriend, Kate Middleton. "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at St. Andrews and I shall be very sad to leave. I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who has made my time here so enjoyable," said William. "I have been able to lead as 'normal' a student life as I could have hoped for and I'm very grateful to everyone, particularly the locals, who have helped make this happen." Royal aides said, following his summer break, the prince would do work experience at a financial institution in London, join a mountain rescue team and learn more about land management on a country estate. "I very much hope that these work placements will give me hands-on experience in three very different but important areas," William said. "I am very much looking forward to the challenges and opportunities which the future brings -- and not least, hopefully, an ultimately triumphant Lions tour of New Zealand," he said. In addition, he has also has already passed his first round of tests to train at Britain's elite military academy in Sandhurst, southeast England, where William's younger brother Prince Harry is already enrolled. After the ceremony, William, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Tuesday, emerged from St. Andrews, smiling and waving at the crowd who had turned out to see him. Later in the day, he is due to thank police officers from the local Fife Constabulary at St. Andrews police station for their protection work during his time at the university.
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