Prince William happy to serve Australia Royal Visit from January 19 to 21
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news…0110-m0nw.html
Prince William is expected to highlight his willingness to serve Australia and New Zealand if they want him to during speeches in both countries next week.
News Of The World reported on Sunday the Prince wanted to avoid a political row amid concerns over possible republican protests.
"Of course he will stress the royal family’s role and desire to serve while the people still want them to," the newspaper quoted an un-named insider as saying.
"He is working on the speeches he will make – one in each country.
"Neither will be overtly political but he will stress the importance of the historic links between them and his family."
The 27-year-old prince arrives in New Zealand on January 17 before heading to Australia from January 19 to 21.
The paper said William had "made it clear" he wouldn’t become a so-called shadow king or undermine the role of his father, Prince Charles, as heir to the throne.
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http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/wor…-1225817722016
First Real Visit As Prince
"Prince William is a strong-willed guy, generally, and he knows his mind," a royal aide told the Sunday Herald Sun.
"It was his suggestion to become a search-and-rescue pilot. When he’s got a plan, he’ll stick to it. He won’t let other people sway him."
AUSTRALIA
A ROYAL New Zealand Air Force flight will bring William Arthur Philip Lewis Mountbatten-Windsor to Sydney on Tuesday, January 19, after visits to Auckland and Wellington.
The last time William visited Australia he was a toddler who had been affectionately christened Willie Wombat, a nickname his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, would still use years later.
Children traditionally stayed at home during royal tours. The late Queen Mother, for instance, tearfully left behind baby Elizabeth for a lengthy trip to Australia in 1927 and wrote of her anguish in letters home (though there must have been some relief in her ship’s 60 cases of vintage champagne, 58 cases of whisky, 40 cases of port, 18 cases of sherry, more than 30 cases of claret and 12 cases each of Gordon’s gin, brandy and Vermouth.)
Times had changed and hands-on mother Diana and husband Charles brought nine-month-old William on their 1983 visit, less than two years after their wedding.
Photographers attached to the tour recall it was as if the Beatles were in town, with the couple treated like rock stars in each new location. Fresh pictures of Diana, of course, instantly made the cover of most women’s magazine and many newspapers.
The presence of the young William meant fielding some amusing questions, such as what was their son’s favourite toy – it was a rubber duck – but ultimately he shared the credit for lifting support for the royals with the visit.
When William, 27, makes his long overdue return trip next week, he will do so with an interest in more grown-up toys, namely helicopters.
But just like his first visit, he is likely to secure another boost for his family. Australians will meet a charming young man held up as a shining light for the monarchy. They will also meet a man at crossroads, on the verge of marriage and setting out his path for what could be a very long wait to become king.
SECOND IN LINE
PRINCE William’s visit has increased speculation that a handover of operations is in progress.
At 83, the Queen is healthy, but travel and a heavy workload are bound to become more arduous. Also to be considered is Prince Philip, whose health has been the centre of speculation for some time.
Recent British reports suggest that as the Queen gets older, William is being groomed as a "shadow king", taking centre stage and filling a void left by his father’s doubtful popularity.
A sizeable section of the public, polls say, would be happy to see the crown skip a generation. Many people simply remain cool towards Charles, and icy at the prospect of Queen Camilla, the "third person" in his marriage to Diana.
It’s widely assumed, too, that Charles’s succession would herald an unstoppable push for a republic in Australia.
Charles, who was four when his mother was crowned, is said to be dismayed by suggestions he should step aside when the Queen’s reign ends.
In fairness, his image has improved in recent years as the extent of good work is revealed (his 20 charities generate almost $300 million a year).
His once-derided views on issues such as environmental sustainability have also become more accepted.
More importantly, succession does not come down to a popularity contest, so Charles almost certainly will be king. When it happens is another question.
The Queen is long off the age of her mother’s death at 101. So Charles may be approaching 80 before he takes the throne and William could be 60 before his turn comes around.
That would set up a string of older monarchs, posing its own problems for the royals.
It also leaves William with some big decisions about what he should do with his life.
CAREER
PRINCE William’s interests and responsibilities are clear in the itinerary for his Australian and New Zealand visit.
There is a live firing session with troops in Sydney and a private meeting with special forces soldiers. There is his visit to a Sydney indigenous community centre. And there are official duties, such as opening Wellington’s Supreme Court on behalf of his grandmother and giving a speech at a Melbourne Australia Day function.
How he spreads himself across three key elements of the armed forces, charity work and royal duties is the big decision he faces in coming years.
William has a long association with the armed forces, starting with his graduation from the Sandhurst military academy and secondments to the army, air force and navy. But he has been plagued by the problem that he cannot fully serve alongside his comrades.
Younger brother Harry managed a stint in Afghanistan before Australia’s New Idea magazine reported he was on the frontline – breaking a global embargo designed to protect him and his fellow troops.
That option will likely never be available to William because of his proximity to the throne. He found compromise in 2008 when he announced he would train to become an RAF helicopter search-and-rescue pilot.
All going well, he will complete training this year and be dispatched to a search-and-rescue base for about three years.
"It’s an absolutely full-time job," the royal aide said. "There’s no sense at the moment that he can take on much more. Prince Charles has been one heartbeat away from being king pretty much his whole life. That’s never been the case for William, he’s always been one step removed and that makes all the difference.
"It’s one reason he can afford to follow his dreams in terms of his military career in a way his father perhaps couldn’t."
The position will enable him to continue his association with the military, pursue his passion for flying and keep a semblance of privacy by delaying his move into royal ribbon-cutting duties.
When he does undertake future overseas trips, they are likely to be related to his interests or projects he supports, such as the football World Cup and for charity Tusk, which has conservation projects in Botswana.
Key in coming years will be the charity he formed with his brother, which will give grants to wounded service personnel, young people in need and for sustainable development.
FAMILY
THE combined charity work of the two brothers is only one feature of a close friendship.
Beyond normal brotherly ties, they were brought closer together by their mother’s premature death and the shared goldfish bowl existence of being born a royal.
Harry was always perceived as the wilder of the two and with less responsibility he could afford to be. But both have had their share of stumbling out of exclusive nightclubs run by friends and drinking ludicrous cocktails that invariably come with a bagpipe player.
Harry has admitted smoking cannabis, apologised for dressing up in a Nazi uniform at a fancy dress party and, more worryingly, been exposed for calling a comrade a "Paki".
But it was William who didn’t see a problem in landing a helicopter on girlfriend Kate’s lawn.
Despite the extraordinary scrutiny of both men, the big money on offer for stories relating to them and the hell they could raise if they wanted to, scandals have been limited.
Both are well-liked and their closeness is part of their appeal.
They are also united in their support for the forces. They have made numerous visits to the wounded in hospital and recently went a step further and appeared together at The Sun newspaper’s Millies military awards.
As they get older, both are said to be closer to their father.
Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, said at her funeral it was his side of the family that would ensure the boys retained their humanity after their mother’s death.But, interestingly, William is now known to predominantly turn to his father for advice. Meanwhile, the Queen’s relationship with both young men remains as strong as ever, though her patience must be surely tested by their love lives.
William and Kate started seeing each other seven years ago.
MARRIAGE
NOT since Kylie Minogue has a public figure caused such a sensation in hotpants. Kate Middleton, long-time girlfriend of William, let her guard down for an ’80s-themed roller disco to raise money for charity in September 2008.
Her revealing outfit of yellow hotpants and glittering top, and her subsequent hilarity at tumbling on the skating rink, sent the British press into a frenzy.
It was a glimpse into a bright, young future for the royals.
Instead of an engagement notice, Kate disappeared from public view, as if to take some of the pressure off. The daughter of a former pilot father and stewardess mother, Kate kept a picture of William on her wall as she grew up. Her childhood crush became real life when they met at University of St Andrews.
Kate, 28 yesterday, has had to contend with the tag Waity Katie, as her relationship goes on and on.
Most believe their marriage is a matter of time.
William doesn’t appear to be rushing.