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Every September, thousands of young adults pack up their most treasured possessions and embark on their next step: university.
Twenty-three years ago today, it was Prince William’s turn to do just that on his first day at St Andrews in Scotland.
The Palace had struck a deal with the media to give William privacy while he was studying, aside from agreed photo opportunities.
One of those occasions was his arrival for the start of term with his father King Charles, then the Prince of Wales.
William’s student life began with a slight mishap – Charles, who was driving, missed the university’s entrance at first and had to reverse in front of the 5,000 onlookers, the Daily Mail reported at the time.
Twenty-three years ago today, Prince William, then 19, arrived for his first day at university. He turned up with his father King Charles, who was then the Prince of Wales
Prince William originally enrolled to study art history at the Scottish university
William’s student life began with a slight mishap – Charles, who was driving, missed the university’s entrance at first and had to reverse in front of the 5,000 onlookers, the Daily Mail reported at the time
Whilst Charles was dressed in a blazer, chinos and shirt and tie, William chose an understated jumper and shirt combo, which he paired with jeans.
Before disappearing off to the relative privacy of university life, he took the time to chat with some of the royal fans who had flocked to see him.
William originally enrolled to study art history and the course fees – £1,075 per term – were paid for by Charles for ‘the first year at least,’ the Mail reported, despite William’s offer to cover them himself.
His student accommodation consisted of a small room in St Salvator’s Hall – a housing block nicknamed ‘Sallies’ by students – and he brought bedding, a television and a stereo to kit it out.
William had specifically requested a room without an en-suite so he could get the full student experience of queuing for the communal showers.
The father and son were greeted by 5,000 royal fans hoping to catch a glimpse of them
Prince William in St Salvator’s, his first year university accommodation, in November 2004
Prince William studying in the main library at St Andrews in 2004
He had been offered a place to stay at the residence of principal Dr Brian Lang but turned it down.
Charles’ suggestion of renting a private house was also declined.
Instead, a nearby room was reserved for a police bodyguard who had a bathroom especially installed.
William was very aware of his impact on people, however, and was keen to make genuine friends.
The young prince said in an interview around the time: ‘People who try to take advantage of me and a get a piece of me, I spot it quickly and soon go off them.’
He added: ‘I just hope I can meet people I get on with. I don’t care about their background.’
However, William’s first term at St Andrews got off to a rocky start.
The prince playing in a rugby tournament during his final year at university in 2005
William met Kate Middleton, who he later married, at university. The pair are pictured on their graduation day in 2005
Prince William walking in his graduation gown with Charles and Camilla in June 2005
He returned home to Highgrove for Christmas and had spent most of his weekends during term time there or in London.
According to royal expert Robert Lacey in his 2020 book Battle of Brothers, William expressed doubts to his father during the holidays over his choice of course and institution and told him how he wanted to move,
His grandfather, Prince Philip, is said to have responded: ‘William needs to knuckle down and not wimp out.’
He found life in the small Scottish town to be quiet, with the highlight of his week being shopping at Tesco and playing sport on a Wednesday.
Kensington Palace and St Andrews managed to resolve the issue by liaising with one another and agreed for William to switch courses to Geography.
Charles spent the Christmas holiday having a heartfelt discussion with William, who eventually decided against moving away.
William later said he felt he was ‘daunted’ rather than homesick.
He said at the time: ‘My father was very understanding about it and realised I had the same problem he had probably had.
Kate chatting with her friends while watching William play rugby at university in 2005
The Daily Mail’s coverage of William on his first day at St Andrews in 2001
‘We chatted a lot, and in the end we both realised – I definitely realised – that I had to come back.
‘I think it was the new surroundings. When I was with Raleigh International in Chile during my gap year, it was the same sort of thing. You’re thrown into completely new territory.
‘I don’t think I was homesick. I was more daunted.’
The decision paid off, as it was at St Andrews that William met and fell in love with Kate Middleton.
It was at a charity fashion show in St Andrews where William exclaimed, ‘wow! Kate’s hot’, as his future wife walked down the catwalk in a see-through dress.
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