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Prince William to follow Mum`s footsteps: Times of India
London, June 22: Prince William pledged to carry on the charitable legacy of his mother, the late Princess Diana, as he celebrated his 21st birthday on Saturday.
London, June 22: Prince William pledged to carry on the charitable legacy of his mother, the late Princess Diana, as he celebrated his 21st birthday on Saturday.
William’s coming of age is accompanied by a host of new responsibilities for the second in line to the throne, but the prince is also planning on some fun, throwing an African-themed dress party.
The royal birthday the only event on Britain’s social calendar on Saturday to rival the release of the latest Harry Potter book was also marked with the release of a rap-style poem by the country’s poet laureate.
In an interview to mark the occasion, William said he was greatly influenced by visits to homeless hostels as a teenager with Princess Diana, who was killed in a Paris car crash in 1997.
‘‘I learned a lot from it, more so now than I did at the time,’’ William said in an interview on Saturday. ‘‘It’s made me aware, and I think homelessness is one of those topics that people kind of gloss over and don’t really focus on. It is an important issue that needs to be understood and highlighted.’’
‘‘My mother used her position very well to help other people, as does my father, and I hope to do the same,’’ he said.
William defended 54-year-old father Prince Charles, who is often mocked by British tabloids. ‘‘He does so many amazing things,’’ William said. ‘‘I only wish people would see that more because he’s had a very hard time and yet he’s stuck it out and he’s still very positive.’’ The prince said he would concentrate on finishing the last two years of his four-year degree at St. Andrews University in Scotland before deciding how he would commit himself to charitable work.
More frivolity was expected Saturday when William is guest of honor at an ‘‘Out of Africa’’ party for more than 300 family and friends at Windsor Castle. William, who is teaching himself Swahili and has been on safari in Africa several times, said he wanted to avoid a ‘‘sterile’’ official function and have his family, including grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, let their hair down.
‘‘I thought it would quite fun to see the family out of black tie and get everyone to dress up,’’ said William, the picture of a modern royal himself in denim jeans and an open-necked shirt. ‘‘My grandmother may be slightly apprehensive as to what she’s going to wear, and what’s going to happen, but she’s very much looking forward to it. She’s very positive toward the whole thing,’’ he said. Britain’s poet laureate, Andrew Motion, gave the prince a gift of two poems one in rap form and one a sonnet.
Motion said the tribute, ‘‘On The Record,’’ is a sort of literary double-sided LP to reflect William’s new role.
William’s coming of age is accompanied by a host of new responsibilities for the second in line to the throne, but the prince is also planning on some fun, throwing an African-themed dress party.
The royal birthday the only event on Britain’s social calendar on Saturday to rival the release of the latest Harry Potter book was also marked with the release of a rap-style poem by the country’s poet laureate.
In an interview to mark the occasion, William said he was greatly influenced by visits to homeless hostels as a teenager with Princess Diana, who was killed in a Paris car crash in 1997.
‘‘I learned a lot from it, more so now than I did at the time,’’ William said in an interview on Saturday. ‘‘It’s made me aware, and I think homelessness is one of those topics that people kind of gloss over and don’t really focus on. It is an important issue that needs to be understood and highlighted.’’
‘‘My mother used her position very well to help other people, as does my father, and I hope to do the same,’’ he said.
William defended 54-year-old father Prince Charles, who is often mocked by British tabloids. ‘‘He does so many amazing things,’’ William said. ‘‘I only wish people would see that more because he’s had a very hard time and yet he’s stuck it out and he’s still very positive.’’ The prince said he would concentrate on finishing the last two years of his four-year degree at St. Andrews University in Scotland before deciding how he would commit himself to charitable work.
More frivolity was expected Saturday when William is guest of honor at an ‘‘Out of Africa’’ party for more than 300 family and friends at Windsor Castle. William, who is teaching himself Swahili and has been on safari in Africa several times, said he wanted to avoid a ‘‘sterile’’ official function and have his family, including grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, let their hair down.
‘‘I thought it would quite fun to see the family out of black tie and get everyone to dress up,’’ said William, the picture of a modern royal himself in denim jeans and an open-necked shirt. ‘‘My grandmother may be slightly apprehensive as to what she’s going to wear, and what’s going to happen, but she’s very much looking forward to it. She’s very positive toward the whole thing,’’ he said. Britain’s poet laureate, Andrew Motion, gave the prince a gift of two poems one in rap form and one a sonnet.
Motion said the tribute, ‘‘On The Record,’’ is a sort of literary double-sided LP to reflect William’s new role.