Let's guess what's next for Prince William

[queenk]

So what do you think is next for him in the coming year or two? Just recently he got is pilot lincense from the RAF and before going into Sandhurst, he graduated with honors and a Scottish MA at St. Andrews back in 2005.

[Cinderella]

I'll guess engagement to Kate Middleton -- how's that for going out on a limb?

[queenk]

People have guessed that for years but besides the usual gossip, I wonder if he'll do more charity work (he is a patron of a couple of them) or just something out of the ordinary for him? Hmmm, of course if he does something out of the ordinary I hope it's nothing as bad as the Nazi custome Harry wore back in 2005.

[wendy]

I think I read recently that Prince William is already the patron of some 16 charities. That seemed a bit high for me but the number will certainly grow steadily in the next while, especially once he's finished with the military.

The royals seem very keen to space out their special occasions. So, this year is Peter Phillips' time to shine (i.e. his wedding next month). Then we'll have Prince Charles' 60th birthday in the fall. Next going down the aisle, I think, is a toss up between Zara and Prince William. Perhaps Zara is in no hurry to marry. William's wedding naturally, will be as big a wedding we can hope to see in England for the foreseeable future.

Perhaps we'll hear an engagement announcement in the near future and that William and Kate won't bother waiting until he's completely through his military rounds. I'm not much into gossip about these matters but I'm getting to the point with William and Kate that they've had enough time and, if they want to marry: please get on with it!

Has anyone heard anymore about that house Prince Charles is having built? The rumours are that it's being built for William. It sounds lovely with all sorts of "green" technologies being implemented in its scheme.

[vittoria]

Prince William will be making a brief tour with the Royal Navy, much like his experience with the RAF. It is, rather unfortunately, a tradition for royals to hang out with the military, whether or not they are genuinely interested. It seems that they're supposed to affect concern with the country's defenses, while trained, professional soldiers and officers do the actual work. That wasn't the case a few centuries ago, or even as recently as the Falklands War, but it is now. Prince Harry has bucked the recent trend, but as we all saw, not for long.

After the Navy experience, who knows? Prince William will turn 26 this summer, perhaps a good age to start thinking seriously about marriage. His father -- once described as a perfect "lifelong bachelor" by a friend -- was possibly too old to marry, especially to a 20-year-old girl with whom he shared nothing in terms of age, education, and cultural experience; but then, Prince Andrew married at 26, to a 26-year-old woman, and we all know how THAT turned out.

I'd say that William needs to spend some time adjusting to the "royal engagement" routine that will structure his days and evenings for the rest of his life. Unlike his aunt, Princess Anne, he'll not be able to devote himself to serious, down-and-dirty administrative work of the kind his mother never did; and while his father is alive, he'll remain the "second in line," since Charles is so desperately jealous of his prerogatives. But he needs a year after the brief, specially-organized military experiences to figure out what his role will be and how a girlfriend/wife might fit in. Kate Middleton, despite the nasty, sniping, envious hatred of her that I see online, seems to be willing to muck in. The fact that she's been willing to give up a career of her own in favor of her relationship with William just MIGHT -- and yes, I know how offensive this is to many women -- mean that she's well-suited to the job of being the wife of the heir to the throne. Wives of royal heirs, after all, may have careers before their marriages, but they don't keep them afterwards. When was the last time you ever heard of one who did?

And don't people here want princesses to be princesses, rather than doctors, lawyers, and shopgirls?

[queenk]

Well I think one of the reasons that royal wives quit their careers is because they are expected to do all those engagements with their husbands or take on some themselves. And perhaps their past career or dream career (if they didn't become a princess) could benefit their princess/lady/queen/etc lifestyle.

And just because Kate is jobless most of the time does not make her suited to be a princess or his wife. There's a lot more that go into that.

I don't want to continously snipe at her (mostly out of envy) but I have to admit she doesn't seem to keep jobs long and I'd love to have the type of jobs she did, especially the fashion merchandizing where she got to travel

In fact I want to go to back college to study a field that encourages travel, (not the tourism and hospitality) but maybe social science or International Studies at VA Tech.

I did get a certificate from a local community college last year but the best I've been able to do since than was get a factory job I hate it!

And how this relates to Kate, is she has all the connections, money, and a lot more education than I do, so I feel she's not taking full advantage of it. I don't know if Europe is having a big recession like the US is, but even then Kate would be in a favorable position.

[queenk]

LOL, I heard something on E! News that he purposely landed a plane in Kate's parents' backyard. Apparently it was planned. It's not often we hear any royal news in the US Media, most of my news in the past 2 years came from the internet

[vittoria]

Well, queenk, Kate Middleton has had only one job, to the knowledge of the public, with the clothing company Jigsaw, so I'm not quite sure what you mean by your statement that she hasn't been able to keep a job long. It has recently been stated that she's now working in another job, the reason that she left London and moved back home with her parents, since the new job is apparently located close to her parents' home, within easy commuting distance. I have no way -- no one has any way -- of knowing whether this is true or where she might be working. If she does have a new job, it would appear that she and her employer, Prince William, and Clarence House, are doing their damndest to keep it quiet. As they should.

[queenk]

If she did have a job why keep it quiet? Especially with all the sniping. And who's to say she actually moved in Clarence House with William after their stint as domestic partners/roommates in university? I did read stories that she tried opening her own business (or thought about it) and tried to get jobs that would include her History of Art major.

[paulchen]

I've just read in the paper that HRH Prince William of Wales has been appointed Knight of the Order of the Garter, just in time for St. George's Day. He will be officially installed at the garter Ceremony at St George's Chapel Windsor in June.

[donald1941]

While his investiture with the Garter has been planned well in advance, particularly to coincide with the 1,000th knight moment, it comes right after both the RAF and Prince William have admitted that his antics while training on helicopters have been bad publicity and makes him look like a priviledged playboy. Therefore in some eyes it looks like this is a stunt to deflect adverse criticism. It seems that bad luck has dogged the prince lately. Even his visit to wounded military personnel with his brother has been criticized as just pr. Let's hope everyone has learned some lessons from these incidents.

[queenk]

www.usatoday.com/life/people/2008-04-24-princes_N.htm?csp=34

Speaking of the antics, I remember one time I read a story about him and saw a picture of him in his army outfit shaking hands with a very controversial, political figure. And I'm not one to diss my man William but that wasn't a good move.

The plane antics are innocent compared to the publicity of the handshake could've caused.

[Ibelieveinfairytales]

That USA Today article is fantastic! I wish I'd written it

The controversial handshake incident is reported on in this link:

www.newstatesman.com/200711290018

[queenk]

I definitely don't think William's a bad person but just like all of us, he makes some mistakes. Unfortunately all his mistakes are in the public eye and he has to deal with a lot of different people.

Hopefully him and Harry will study up on some of these people they talk to.

[goyasduchess]

I think Prince William may finish up his time in the military before he marries Kate Middleton, but I may be way off base on this one. And I hate to say it, because it makes me sound so old, but this royal live in girlfriend thing is, well, declasse. After the two broke up last year, I remember reading some very arrogant comments made about Kate's family and background by William's supposed friends. I can't imagine how much that would hurt, especially as I think she has shown she would make a lovely, not to mention stylish addition to that family.