Prince William will be greeted with "warmth" in
St Andrews, where he is reported to have
decided to study art and history at the town's
ancient university.
The heir to the throne is said to have opted
for St Andrews instead of Edinburgh although
Buckingham Palace insisted no decision would
be reached until the 18-year-old receives his
A-level results.
Marcus Booth, president of the students'
association, said the university would welcome
the prince with its "customary warmth".
Mr Booth, 23, who studied medieval history,
said: "St Andrews is well used to the place
crawling with celebrities, especially when the
golf is on.
"I think he would be
welcomed as warmly as
any other student."
"The union on a Friday
night is the only
equivalent really to a
nightclub environment,
but there are 22 pubs
and more pubs per
square mile than any
other university in the
country.
The results of the prince's A-level exams,
which he took in geography, biology and
history of art, are due on Thursday.
The Express newspaper reported Prince
William's surprise decision to opt for St
Andrews.
The university has refused to comment, saying
that it never discusses individual applications.
If the move is confirmed, it would be seen as
something of a snub for Edinburgh University
where the young prince was expected to go to
study the history of art.
The Express reported
Prince William made up
his mind after paying a
low-key visit to the
coastal town which is
dominated by the
university.
Founded in 1411, the
institution is Scotland's
oldest university.
He is set to embark on
the four-year honours
degree course after completing his year out to
travel around Australia.
British furniture, architecture, Renaissance
Italy and modern art are among the topics he
will be taught.
It is also reported that the Prince will live in his
own accommodation.
If he does attend St Andrews, he will be
following closely in the footsteps of previous
monarchs.
Many Scottish kings went to the university
until the 16th Century.
~*~
Queen chooses a commoner to be
new Lord Chamberlain (UK Times)
BY ANDREW PIERCE AND ALAN HAMILTON
THE Queen yesterday appointed a
commoner for the first time to the post
of Lord Chamberlain, the effective
head of the royal household.
The choice of Sir Richard Luce, a
former government minister, is a sharp
break with the past. Three of the
seven Lord Chamberlains who have
advised the Queen were earls and
none had ever sat in the House of Commons.
Sir Richard resigned as Foreign Office Minister in 1982 after
the humiliation of the Argentine invasion of the Falkland
Islands. He was later forgiven by Margaret Thatcher and
became Arts Minister after the recapture of the islands.
One of the tasks facing Sir Richard, who will be given a life
peerage, is to co-ordinate arrangements for the Queen's
golden jubilee in 2002. It will be one of the most important
events in the royal calendar since Queen Victoria's golden
jubilee in 1887, when she finally abandoned her widow's
weeds and revived the popularity of the Royal Family.
The salary for the part-time post will be met from the Civil
List and based on that of a Civil Service Permanent
Secretary, which ranges from £101,000 to £170,000. If Sir
Richard, 63, is given a grace and favour royal apartment, a
17 per cent deduction will be made from his salary.
The Cambridge-educated Sir Richard succeeds Lord
Camoys who was the first Roman Catholic Lord
Chamberlain since Henry VIII broke off diplomatic relations
with Rome.
The contrast between Sir Richard and Lord Camoys, who
stood down after two years because of ill health, could not
be any sharper. Lord Camoys, born Ralph Thomas
Campion George Sherman Stonor, is one of Britain's leading
Roman Catholic laymen and a descendant of Sir Thomas de
Camoys, who commanded the left wing of the English army
at Agincourt. His tenure at the Palace was distinguished by
his not knowing who Elton John was when his name was put
forward as a participant in the funeral of Diana, Princess of
Wales.
Sir Richard, a career politician who was knighted in 1991,
stood down after the 1992 general election. Since 1997 he
has honed his diplomatic skills as Governor of Gibraltar
during a period characterised by disputes with Spain.
The Lord Chamberlain's position dates from the Middle
Ages and by tradition was the channel of communication
between the monarch and Parliament. In 1924 Ramsay
MacDonald's Government restored the choice of Lord
Chamberlain to Buckingham Palace.
The past two Lord Chamberlains were involved in the
Queen's decision to pay income tax, the end of Civil List
payments to most of her family and the opening of
Buckingham Palace to the public.
Sir Richard said yesterday: "It is a great honour for me to
serve the Queen and the monarchy as Lord Chamberlain."