PRINCE WILLIAM is to spend a gap year in Argentina and Australia after leaving Eton next June. Then he will break with
Royal tradition by going to a red-brick university.
His decision to spend time in the two countries is said to have delighted the Prince of Wales, who has fond memories of the two
terms he spent in 1966 at the Geelong Grammar school in Australia. The Prince has asked Edward van Cutsem, the 26-year-old
son of his friend and shooting companion, Hugh van Cutsem, to chaperone Prince William during his travels. Like Prince
William, Edward van Cutsem is a keen shot and the two have spent many happy hours at Sandringham, which is close to the
family's Norfolk home, Anmer Hall.
It will be a tough, highly physical, year for Prince William, who is expected to work on outback sheep and cattle stations in
Argentina and Australia. But there is a sense of relief at the Palace that the trip would remove him from the scrutiny of the British
tabloid press - and from the sphere of some of his London friends who have recently been associated with drugs.
The idea of Prince William taking a year off was first raised by the Prince of Wales after hearing about the successful travelling
experiences of all four of Hugh van Cutsem's sons. The boys - Edward, Hugh, William and Nicholas - have all spent several
months touring Spain, Germany, Australia and South America. The van Cutsems are seen as a family of the utmost probity.
Prince Charles is said to be impressed by the "well-roundedness" of the young men, who have each done a month's work
experience in his office at St James's Palace.
A friend of the Royal family disclosed yesterday: "Prince Charles said he would love Prince William to travel, particularly to
Australia, before he had to knuckle down to his studies, and asked Edward whether he would consider taking him to the same
places he went to. Edward certainly had a wonderful time during his year off; he spent a couple of months on a cattle station in
Australia and then went on to be a jackeroo in Argentina. He was happy to agree to Prince Charles's request to do it all again
with William."
Prince William could be the first member of the Royal Family to visit Australia after November's referendum on whether the
country should become a republic. The stay in Argentina has also been seen by the Palace as a further chance to cement the
already-improving relations between the two countries which fought the Falklands war.
Although concerns have been expressed about the length of time he would be apart from Prince Harry, his younger brother,
those close to Prince William are said to be pleased that the trip would distance him from some of his London friends linked to
the Parker Bowles set. Earlier this year Tom Parker Bowles, the son of the Prince of Wales's companion Camilla Parker
Bowles, admitted he had taken cocaine.
The only potential problem, the friend said, was that Mercury Asset Management, where Mr van Cutsem, works, had talked
about promoting him to a position in New York. But this, he had no doubt, would be overcome. On the Prince's return the
choice will be made between Bristol and Edinburgh universities. The West Country is thought to be the favourite option, not least
because one of his greatest friends, William van Cutsem, 19, who was on the Wales's summer cruise around the Mediterranean,
has just begun his first term there.
The van Cutsems' 10-bedroom house is rented from the Queen while the family builds a new home half an hour's drive away at
Hilborough. It is there that Hugh, 58, owns a commercial stud farm. Prince William will take his A-levels examinations in
geography, history of art and biology at Eton next June and is expected to resume his studies, at university, in September 2001.
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Prince Denies Secret Backing For Hunt Lobby
St James's Palace has moved to defuse a row over the Prince of Wales's alleged support for pro-hunting campaigners.
Royal aides acted after leaked documents said to come from the Countryside Alliance threatened to drag the Prince into the
political battle over the future of hunting by suggesting he is a secret backer.
According to The Observer, the document lists Charles among more than 30 of its most important backers - and suggests he
wanted his support kept secret.
St James's Palace admitted the Prince had supported field sports enthusiasts in the past, but said it was before the establishment
of the Countryside Alliance and its campaign to save fox hunting. The alliance is planning to stage a major demonstration in
Bournemouth on Tuesday, when Prime Minister Tony Blair will be addressing the Labour party conference.
The Observer says Charles appears on the alliance document - which was passed to a potential donor - under the entry "The
Prince of Wales - anonymous".
The paper says the entry referred to the fact the Prince allowed his Gloucestershire home, Highgrove House, to be used to host
a cocktail party in 1995, and the entry referred to a donation in kind.
St James's Palace said the party took place before the Countryside Alliance was established as an umbrella group of fields
sports supporters and country business interests.
A spokeswoman said: "The Prince is interested in countryside issues but he is not entering into any political debate."
A spokeswoman for the Countryside Alliance denied any knowledge of the list, which was said to come from the office of
alliance chief executive Richard Burge.
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King Fahd of Saudi Arabia is returning home after spending several months in Spain.