William Arthur Philip Louis Spencer Mountbatten-Windsor, simply known as Prince William of Wales, was born on June 21, 1982 at 9.05pm at the Lindo wing of St. Mary's hospital in Paddington, London. He is the eldest child of Prince Charles and Diana, the Princess of Wales. His younger brother, Prince Harry, arrived in the royal world, two years later.
William's birth was celebrated through out Great Britain and all Commonwealth of Nations under Her Majesty's realms, he was honored with a 41-gun salute from the British Royal Armed forces. He is not only expected to ascend the British throne but also to steer the rigid establishment into a more normal and friendly environment. His upbringing, though very much upper class, has a touch of a common trend. His mother fought hard with palace rules to rear him like a normal human being. He is the first heir to the British throne to study nursery school like a commoner and to have no governess assigned. Diana continued breaking royal traditions by allowing William to wear jeans and bull caps and visit ordinary places like Mac Donalds and amusement parks which was prohibited by Charles's family.
He took a gap year after finishing high school at the prestigious Eton College and went on to join the British army in humanitarian mission in Chile, South America. He finished a Bachelor's degree in Geography at St. Andrew's University in Fife, Scotland in 2005 with a second upper class honors. Because of such rare academic distinctions, he was awarded with Scottish Master of Arts degree. He became the loving protector of his mother, comforting the late Princess of Wales when the maltreatment of the royal family reduced her to tears. He even declared that he wanted to become a policeman so that he can protect his mother. When the sad news of Princess Diana's death knocked the House of Windsor, William was clearly devastated, he escorted his mother's coffin at the funeral and bowed his head as he walked slowly to the altar of Westminster Abbey. In 2000, he declared he would reinstate his mother's HRH style when he became King. Diana lost the HRH (Her Royal Highness) status when her divorce to Prince Charles became final in 1996. The title arrived in marriage and departed through divorce.
His mother's training, less than traditional but more in touch with the call of the present times, might help Prince William guide a worn out Kingdom to a more open-minded institution. But there are traditions of the monarchy that could not be transported into the liberated society, forcing this tradition to modernize, could forever eliminate the magic and existence of the Kingdom. One of these revered traditions is the selection of the suitable Queen Consort.
When the marriage of Prince William's parents bite the dust in August 1996, it was becoming clear that the British throne won't have any Queen Consort in the future. Now all eyes are set for the 26 year old Prince who possesses all the qualities of a good King just like the legendary King Arthur. His date with destiny is roaring like an approaching train, he might jump aboard anytime. His father is defined by the media as a forlorn, boring King-in-waiting who lacked magic and fascination from his future subjects. He even thwarted some supporters when he admitted adultery in public making Diana the symbol of a scorned woman trap in a loveless marriage. He finally tore the last strand of prestige of the throne when he married his long time mistress in April 2005.
Prince William, must avoid the series of divorce scandals that plagued the British monarchy. Queen Victoria's Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli once said “The British monarchy is represented by a family-the royal family, they are the source of pride of the subjects and they looked up to them as the model of decency and morality”. If the family disintegrated, the subjects felt betrayed and disenchantments soon followed. However, Buckingham Palace officials emphasized that the monarchy did not rely on popularity contest, but the public calls it as baloney.
Partly, the monarchy relies on public approvals, without the support of the masses, existence of the throne would be very impossible. The very important sentimental cord that binds the monarchy and the people is the ancient ritual of pageantry which sometimes stirred emotions. The history of the present European royal houses drew heavily on pomp and spectacles, the medieval traditions of Kings and Queens transported in glass couches amidst the roaring and cheering of their subjects as if they were demigods, pump sensations that ushered pride and pleasure. The magic invigorated more if the King has an adoring Consort at his side.
