MAIN People in the News Prince William

With rumors of an imminent wedding — and recent news that his grandmother may be favoring him over Prince Charles as the next heir to the British throne — Prince William of Wales is the son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana.

As the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, William is officially second in line of succession to the British throne before his father, Charles, and ahead of brother Prince Harry, who is third in line.

However, in December 2009 secret palace documents revealed by the UK press has led to strong speculation that William may "represent the best long-term interests of the monarchy," and favors him over his father, Charles, as the next succesor to the British throne. The speculation also raises new questions about the timing of William’s much-anticipated engagement to girlfriend Kate Middleton as he is prepared for the possible eventuality of being crowned King of England.

Wedding Bets Off, Then On

Kate Middleton, (nicknamed "Her Shyness"), and Prince William met while studying at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. The romance flowered when they later shared a house together.

To date, Middleton have already met William's grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and in the past has frequently appeared on the arm of her boyfriend at official royal ceremonies.

Initial wedding rumors William was about to propose marriage to girlfriend Kate Middleton fizzled early in 2007 with the heartbreaking news of a sudden split. However, reports several months later had the couple seeing each other yet again. Subsequent news that Middleton had left her job in the fashion industry in November 2007 served only to reignite the rumors of an impending marriage.

In August 2008, Kate & William were again photographed together during a summer fling in the Caribbean island of Mustique. Meanwhile, reports also circulated that grandmother Queen Elizabeth expressed a private desire that Middleton first secure a "proper full-time job" before the couple announce their apparent impending engagement.

William & Kate secretly engaged in 2009?

Pending an official announcment, wedding buzz has centered around a report from the March 2009 edition of the upscale French magazine, Point de Vue, claiming that William and Kate had already secretly become engaged in January and that an announcement "of the marriage between William and Miss Katherine Middleton" was imminent.

Other more recent tabloid stories have William and Kate tying the knot 2012, after William has completed his military service, and established himself as a working member of the British royal family. Perhaps by no mere coincidence, the wedding is reported to dovetail with plans to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubillee in 2012 marking the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

Related rumors about a possible location for the royal wedding place William and Kate on the altar of St. Paul's Cathedral in London, in the exact location where Princess Diana and Princes Charles were married in 1981.

Related Prince William News, Bios & Pictures | Prince William Quotes

William has been in the media spotlight since his birth on June 21, 1982.

Early on, he made history when he became the first royal prince to attend an ordinary primary school at the insistence of his mother, Princess Diana. (Reportedly, Diana's famous disdain for official royal protocol has also been inherited by both William and his brother, Harry.)

By age eight, Prince William was sent to Ludgrove School in Berkshire, later attending the prestigious Eton College near Windsor Castle, one of his grandmother's official residences.

It was during his time that William lost his mother to a tragic car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997 - plunging almost the whole of Great Britain into mourning.

It was Prince William who, it was said, made arrangements for Elton John to sing "Candle in the Wind" at his Princess Diana's funeral. He later walked with his father, brother and grandfather in the London funeral procession.

In 2000, Prince William graduated from Eton and passed three A-level exams, afterwhich he chose to take a gap year to travel and participate in army training in Belize.

Photos of the royal prince - performing manual labor and cleaning toilets - were broadcast around the globe that same year when William offered his services as a volunteer in a remote region of Chile.

In 2001, the prince embarked on his final course of education at the University of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland where he studied art history and majored in geography. He ultimately took his master's degree with second-level honors in 2005. The colorful, traditional graduation ceremony was attended by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II and his father, Prince Charles.

Kate Middleton graduated in the same ceremony.

In 2006, William went on to also graduate military training at Sandhurst, the prestigious military academy south of London, from which his younger brother, Harry, graduated as a 2nd lieutenant.

Related Biographies:

The Prince of Wales - Prince William

Prince William of Wales - Wikipedia

Prince William Photo Gallery

Hello! Profiles - Prince William

PrinceWilliamStamps.com

Quotes:

• The fortunate thing is I have had such a normal childhood in certain extents and it would very hard to see that slip away.

• The last thing I want to do is be mollycoddled or wrapped up in cotton wool because if I was to join the army, I'd want to go where my men went and I'd want to do what they did.

• It's got to be the best birthday present she ever had.
On the concert to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Princess Diana.

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