Showing posts with label Prince. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prince. Show all posts
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Prince William 'confronted' Murdoch execs on hacking (AFP)
LONDON (AFP) – Prince William expressed disappointment to two of Rupert Murdoch's top executives that no one from the media tycoon's empire apologised for hacking his aides' phones, a report said Saturday.
During a lunch meeting in January, the British prince admonished Rupert Murdoch's son James and Rebekah Brooks, who were at the time both executives in Murdoch's British newspaper wing News International, The Times newspaper said.
William, second in line to the throne, reportedly said he was disappointed that no one from the publisher of the now defunct News of the World tabloid contacted him to apologise after his aides' voice messages were intercepted.
During the meal at a five-star hotel in north Wales, the prince is reported to have said that "it would have been nice if someone at the time had apologised."
Brooks, who resigned as News International chief executive this month amid the hacking scandal, and James Murdoch, chairman of News International, both said sorry during the meal, the report said.
A source quoted in the paper added James Murdoch was shocked no apology had already been offered.
The meal, which was organised by royal officials to build relations with the press, was "largely friendly", The Times said.
The original police investigation into phone hacking in 2006 centred on illegal interception of voicemail messages of royal officials.
The News of the World's royal editor and a private investigator were jailed in 2007 for hacking into the phones of members of the royal household.
The paper maintained for several years that the hacking was the work of a "rogue reporter" but it has emerged since that the practice was more widespread.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Professor calls Prince Charles, others "snake-oil salesmen" (Reuters)
LONDON, Jul (Reuters) – A leading professor of complementary medicine accused Britain's heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles and other backers of alternative therapies on Monday of being "snake-oil salesmen" who promote products with no scientific basis.
Edzard Ernst, who is stepping down from his post as Britain's only professor of complementary medicine at Exeter University, also said a long-running dispute with the Prince about the merits of alternative therapies had cost him his job -- a claim Prince Charles's office denied.
"Almost directly, Prince Charles has managed to interfere in my professional life and almost managed to close my unit," Ernst told reporters at a briefing.
A spokeswoman for Prince Charles told Reuters the royal heir was not involved in the dispute with Ernst and that she would not respond to professor's comments about snake-oil salesmen.
Ernst's complementary medicine research unit at Exeter's Peninsula School of Medicine had been threatened with outright closure, but the university has now offered it a reprieve and says it is seeking a successor to Ernst to lead it.
"It looked as though I had to go, and that was the price for the unit to continue," Ernst said. "I pay the price gladly as it is a small price to pay for the unit to continue."
Ernst said that during his 18 years of researching the efficacy of hundreds of different types of alternative medicine -- from acupuncture, to herbal remedies, to homeopathy and chiropractic therapy -- he has found that "snake-oil salesmen and pseudo-science are ubiquitous and dangerous."
Asked whether he included Prince Charles in that category, he said, "yes."
He said Prince Charles, a long-time advocate of alternative and integrated medicine and sustainable agriculture, was one of the main obstacles to allowing proper scientific analysis of the efficacy of complementary therapies.
Referring to the prince's Duchy Originals food company as "dodgy originals" he said the firm's promotion of a "detox" tincture made from artichoke and dandelion was an example of how the prince peddled scientifically unproven therapies.
In 2009 Ernst accused Prince Charles of "outright quackery" for promoting the detox tincture and other such products "under the banner of holistic and integrative healthcare."
The 62-year-old prince founded Duchy Originals in 1990 to promote organic food and farming, with profits going to charity.
Duchy Originals describes the product as "a food supplement to help eliminate toxins and aid digestion" and a spokeswoman for the firm said it had no comment about Ernst's remarks.
Ernst's dispute with Prince Charles dates back to 2005, when the professor was asked to look at a report by an economist, Christopher Smallwood, who was investigating whether alternative remedies were cost-effective and should be offered more widely on Britain's taxpayer-funded National Health Service (NHS).
Ernst objected to the report and decided to voice his concerns before it was published. In one section, the report said the NHS could save billions of pounds if some doctors could switch from prescribing conventional medicines to offering alternative therapies. "That was so unspeakable to me that I had to speak out," Ernst said.
Ernst was accused in a letter from an adviser to Prince Charles, Michael Peat, of having breached a confidentiality agreement on the report and an investigation was launched. Ernst was cleared of wrongdoing, but he says he had by that time lost the support of his institution and its commitment to raise more funding for his work.
A spokeswoman for Prince Charles said he "had no knowledge that a letter was being sent to the University of Exeter by Sir Michael Peat about Edzard Ernst's breaching of confidence of the Smallwood report in 2005" and was not involved in the dispute.
Ernst and his team have run many clinical trials and published more than 150 so-called meta-analyses of other studies into complementary and alternative medicines.
He says he has identified around 20 such therapies which "demonstrably demonstrate more good than harm" including the herbal remedy St John's Wort for the treatment of mild depression, hypnosis for the relief of labor pain, and hawthorn for the treatment of congestive heart failure.
(Reporting by Kate Kelland; Editing by Myra MacDonald)
Friday, July 22, 2011
Prince Andrew step down as trade envoy (AFP)
LONDON (AFP) – Prince Andrew is to step down as Britain's roving trade ambassador, Buckingham Palace said, four months after his links to a sex offender prompted calls for him to quit.
The 51-year-old Duke of York is to leave his unpaid job as the government's special representative for international trade and investment, which he has held since 2001, travelling the world in support of British business.
However, Queen Elizabeth II's second son is likely to continue working to boost British business in a lower-profile way.
"The role as special representative will no longer exist as the Duke of York has decided to relinquish it after 10 years," a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said Thursday.
She stressed that Andrew would continue to make official trips abroad as a member of the royal family in support of Britain's foreign interests.
In a statement on his website, Andrew said he had decided "the label I gave myself when I began this role of special representative has served its purpose and is no longer necessary to the work that I do today.
"I am tremendously grateful for the continued support of Her Majesty's Government and the business community in particular, which has been instrumental in delivering prosperity and enabling me to undertake this role," he added.
British Prime Minister David Cameron paid tribute to the prince's efforts.
"I would like to thank the Duke of York for the major contribution he has made over the last decade to UK trade and the huge support he has given to British businesses," he said in a statement.
"I am certain that he and others in the royal family will continue to support and promote British business interests both at home and overseas."
The former Royal Navy commander, who is fourth in line to the throne, was not paid for his job at the UK Trade and Industry (UKTI) government agency, but his expenses were met from the government coffers.
In recent years, the prince has been dogged by accusations of lavish trips, links with key figures in repressive regimes and outspoken comments.
His friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy US businessman jailed in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution, led to accusations from one opposition politician in March that Andrew had become an "embarrassment".
The prince's ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, also became embroiled in the Epstein row after it emerged the businessman gave her ?15,000 at Andrew's request to help pay off her reported multi-million-pound debts.
Diplomatic cables released by the WikiLeaks website last year showed US officials were shocked by the "rude" prince's "astonishing display of candour" during a business trip to Kyrgyzstan.
Former trade minister Digby Jones, now a business ambassador at UKTI, told BBC television of Andrew's role: "There will be a bit less travelling and a lot more working with apprenticeships and with young people in Britain to get them skilled up to make the stuff we can sell around the world.
"It's the next natural step from what he's been doing.
"Let's use what he can do to actually create some profit, employ some people, pay some tax and get ourselves out of this mess," he said, referring to Britain's record deficit.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Monaco's Prince Albert slams marriage 'rumours' (AFP)
MONACO (AFP) – Prince Albert II of Monaco has summoned journalists to castigate them for publishing "rumours" about his new marriage to Princess Charlene, saying someone in Monaco wants to cause trouble.
"We want to express our indignation at these rumours," Albert, 53, told journalists from three local newspapers he called to the palace over stories about his marriage to South African Charlene Wittstock, 33.
"It's unbearable," Nice-Matin's Thursday edition quoted the prince as saying.
"What's regrettable is that the media pick up these rumours without verifying the information," said the prince, who married the former swimming champion at a lavish ceremony in July amid swirling rumours of a rift.
"I find that unworthy on the part of your colleagues. I've always respected freedom of expression. But publishing false information is lamentable and subject to criminal penalties.
"Sometimes these rumours make us smile, for example when the media reported that the princess and I did not sleep in the same hotel in South Africa. That was for obvious practical reasons."
Albert said that the couple managed to "escape the paparazzi" by holidaying in Mozambique from July 9-20. It was "a marvellous stay. We weren't disturbed," he said.
"There's one or more people in Monaco who are trying to cause harm," the prince said, declining to give any names.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Prince William, Catherine opt for quiet life (AFP)
LONDON (AFP) – Prince William and his wife Catherine will go "under the radar" for the rest of the year, keeping a low profile after their stellar tour of North America, royal officials said on Tuesday.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have barely spent any time together at their home in northwest Wales since their April 29 wedding, watched by an estimated two billion viewers worldwide.
William, second in line to the throne, is a Royal Air Force search and rescue helicopter pilot at a base on the island of Anglesey and needs to put in plenty of hours in order to become a captain.
Kate is to spend time planning which charities she wants to become involved with and deepening her understanding of her husband's charitable interests.
The couple, both aged 29, also want to avoid overshadowing Queen Elizabeth II in the run-up to 2012, the 85-year-old monarch's diamond jubilee year, a spokesman for their St James's Palace office said.
The duke and duchess flew back from Los Angeles on Monday after a 12-day north American tour during which they were greeted as rock stars, and even outshone Hollywood celebrities.
The royal couple, making their first official overseas trip since getting married, were feted from Canada's far north to the Californian sun of the US west coast.
"Since they got married they were on honeymoon, in London for most of June for family events and other events and want to go back and have a married life together under the radar, and enjoy their life in Anglesey," said the spokesman.
The couple are set to attend the wedding of William's cousin Zara Phillips and England rugby star Mike Tindall in Edinburgh later this month, a handful of routine public engagements and Remembrance Sunday in November, honouring the war dead.
Although the second half of 2011 will be quiet for the couple, 2012 is shaping up to be a busy year.
Besides the jubilee and the London Olympic Games, William and Catherine will, like other senior royals, undertake jubilee tours to the queen's realms and other Commonwealth countries.
The prince will also go on a routine two-month deployment to the Falkland Islands, without Catherine.
The deployment could happen early in the year, around the Olympics (July-August) or right at the end.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Prince William and Catherine to visit Skid Row (AP)
LOS ANGELES – Prince William and Catherine's visit to the U.S. will fittingly include a match of the "sport of kings" at a Santa Barbara polo ground and an evening of hobnobbing with Hollywood's version of royalty, but the couple will also make a stop in Los Angeles' most plebian neighborhood — Skid Row.
Moving from the hoity-toity to the hoi polloi, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be visiting Inner-City Arts, a nonprofit academy that has given children from poverty-stricken neighborhoods free classes in visual and performing arts since 1989.
"This is what's going on outside their castle. They're going to get a taste of what life is like for us," said Jessica Cornejo, a 19-year-old member of a dance troupe that will be performing for the newlywed couple during their Sunday visit. "It's the best way to end that royal trip."
Housed in a contemporary compound of bright white buildings dotting a plant-filled courtyard, the academy stands out on a street pockmarked with despair.
As twilight sets in on a recent afternoon, the sidewalk fills with locals swigging beer out of paper bags and smoking marijuana cigarettes. No one pays any mind to the toothless and shoeless, mumbling to themselves or shouting to the air as they shunt shopping carts crammed with their worldly possessions.
Skid Row is the nation's homeless capital with some 4,000 people crammed into a 50-square block area of downtown Los Angeles. Nearly 1,000 sleep on the street every night, others seek a cot at one of five shelters in the area or reside in homeless housing.
But inside Inner-City Arts, the air is filled with the energy of kids who turn the frustration of growing up poor into creative impulse for dancing, acting, music, painting, sculpting and drawing in professional caliber studios. About 90 percent of the children here are Hispanic, many from families that lack a stable home.
The academy offers arts classes as part of local elementary school curriculums and after-school activities to teens, as well as instruction to teachers.
The duke and duchess will paint and work in ceramics alongside 120 grade-schoolers and then watch a dance performance by a troupe of teenagers. The 16 dancers have been frantically rehearsing in twice-weekly, six-hour sessions since the visit was announced in early June.
While some were enthralled about the prospect of meeting the figures from a fairy tale, others weren't quite sure who Prince William and Catherine were when told of the impending visit.
"I said `I need to research them'," said Lorenzo Perez, 19, adding he got a lot more excited when he found out the guest is a genuine blue blood second in line to the British throne. That beats hands down a previous VIP performance for a group of congressional representatives.
"We thought that was the biggest we could get," he said. "I never pictured that I'd be performing for the royal couple."
The troupe will perform two pieces. One is a dynamic seven-minute medley of various musical genres, including hip-hop, pop and merengue, while the other is a more somber piece that incorporates a video of images of poverty around the world.
The first was selected to highlight their own urban youth culture and the second to point to global issues. "We're close to Skid Row," said dancer Iliana Samaniego, 15. "Maybe it can get attention to that."
Inner-City Arts combines two of Prince William's causes — the arts and homeless prevention — in a trip that focuses on his charity causes.
"I know he wanted to use this trip to the benefit of everything he does," said Nigel Lythgoe, chairman of the Los Angeles chapter of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, which is hosting the Saturday evening gala for the royals. The prince is the president of the academy and the event will promote young British film industry talent to Hollywood elite.
The Santa Barbara polo match and dinner — at $4,000 a plate — is expected to raise $4.4 million for the prince's foundation that benefits a number of charities. The prince and his brother Harry often play in polo matches at home as fundraisers.
Early Sunday, Prince William and Catherine will attend a private breakfast with American patrons of Tusk Trust, an African conservation charity.
Administrators at Inner-City Arts, which has worked closely with the British Consulate-General in Los Angeles in the past, hope the visit will raise awareness of the importance of arts in children's lives and how Inner-City Arts benefits underprivileged youngsters who otherwise rarely get a chance at creative expression.
"It puts Inner-City Arts in a different category of visibility," said Beth Tischler, Inner-City Arts' director of education.
The trip's emphasis on charity reflects the fundamental role of the modern British monarchy, especially that of the "satellite royals," the relatives who surround Queen Elizabeth II, said Philippa Levine, co-director of the British studies program at the University of Texas at Austin.
A stop in a place like Skid Row is not out of the ordinary these days as modern royals have aimed to reach out to commoners since World War II when the Queen Mother, mother of Queen Elizabeth II, sought to rally Britons' spirits through years of bombing raids and rationing.
That tradition was enlarged upon by Princess Diana, William's mother, making her a revered personality the world over.
"It's a very, very long history with the British monarchy, and it's at every level — the rich stuff at $4,000 a plate, and at the most basic level," Levine said.
Skid Row residents seemed largely oblivious to the royal visit, but they didn't think it would do much for the neighborhood as the couple's visit focused on Inner-City Arts.
"It's good for the kids," shrugged Michael Nicholson, 58, who was sitting in a wheelchair on a street corner a couple blocks from the academy. "But I don't think it will do anything for Skid Row."
At the academy, the dancers were gleaming with sweat as instructor Marissa Herrera put them through their paces during rehearsal. She said she hoped to impress the royals with how empowering the arts can be to disadvantaged youth. "These youth really have hope for the future," she said.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Prince William performs water landings in Canada (AP)
DALVAY BY-THE-SEA, Prince Edward Island – Prince William enjoyed showing off his military helicopter training with his first-ever water landing Monday to the delight of anxious crowds in Canada, where he and his wife, Kate, have been on their first official overseas trip since their wedding.
The Duke of Cambridge climbed into the cockpit of a Sea King helicopter for the military training exercise at Dalvay by-the-Sea, a scenic resort along Prince Edward Island's north shore. Prince William, a Royal Air Force rescue helicopter pilot, requested the simulated emergency landing procedure.
Dressed in an olive flight suit and helmet, the prince — who is second in line to the throne — settled the large helicopter on the water several times over the course of an hour.
From the water, William piloted several takeoffs and hovered in the air before executing dual- and single-engine landings before taxiing around as Kate watched from the ground.
"He was looking for his wife on the shoreline at one point," said Col. Sam Michaud, 42, who trained William. "She was waving back about 100 feet away."
Michaud said William is now fully trained. He said William remarked that the "boys back at his squadron would be absolutely jealous."
Canada is the only country that trains its Sea King helicopter pilots to do a controlled landing on water if there's an emergency. The exercise William performed Monday is known as waterbirding, and if the number of times he tried it was any indication, the prince was enjoying the technique. The Sea King, which William flies back in the U.K, has the ability to land on water because of its amphibious hull.
Maj. Pat MacNamara called him a star pilot.
"I would suggest he was having quite a bit of fun," MacNamara said. "He said it was one of the highlights of his trip."
Prince Edward Island resident Linda Patton, 60, said she was nervous watching the prince fly.
"It was thrilling to watch and a little nerve-racking I must admit, especially the ones he was hovering and came straight down" Patton said.
The duke will take the landing technique back home with him to use in his job, said royal press secretary Miguel Head.
"The Duke of Cambridge is, first and foremost, a search-and-rescue pilot — that's his job and it's a job he's very proud to do," said Head. "When (William) took the decision to come to Canada, one of the things he actually asked to do was to do this."
The royal pair then got to flex their muscles by paddling in two dragon boats to race against each other. Kate, dressed in black sportswear, got to demonstrate her athletic prowess while on the water by taking the stern of her boat. She trained as part of a dragon boat crew in 2007, and the rivalry with William appeared to be genuine.
William gripped his paddle to execute a strong stroke, while Kate moved from the stern to paddle in her boat. The prince's boat won the short race by a hair and William exited the boat to give Kate a warm consolation hug. Kate playfully gave William a shove, as if to push him in the water.
"There's no chivalry in sport," William jokingly told Kate as he was presented with a bottle of champagne for winning the race.
"Sadly, we lost," she said, laughing, to Christine Dapart, one of the spectators in the crowd as the royal couple made their way to a pavilion where regional performers were on hand to demonstrate Celtic and Acadian dance and song.
Later, the royal couple met an actress who plays the fictional star of "Anne of Green Gables," the classic Canadian novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery for which Prince Edward Island is famed. Actress Tess Benger, 23, who performs as Anne in a play, gave Kate a copy of the book. Kate, a fan of the novel and its sequels, told her she would read it again.
In a tent, the couple sampled the island's food. William put his hands on his stomach and joked about eating too much on the trip. He passed on the oyster tasting, saying to Kate "this is where you take over."
They tasted Island beef with sweet onion marmalade, lobster and potato chowder, pork and beef belly and strawberry shortcake. The couple later observed a search and rescue operation.
The Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge, as they are officially known, were on the fifth of a nine-day trip to Canada, part of their first official overseas trip since their April 29 wedding.
They were welcomed to their third Canadian province Monday with cheering, waving crowds excited to catch a glimpse of royalty at Province House. The site is the home of Prince Edward Island's legislature and of a historic meeting 146 years ago that paved the way for Canada's eventual unification and independence.
On Monday morning, Kate sported a cream dress by Sarah Burton for the British fashion house of Alexander McQueen, who designed her royal wedding gown. William wore his traditional dark suit and red tie. Kate later wore dark skinny jeans and a navy-belted trenchcoat with a bright red scarf from Burton's wardrobe at Dalvay by-the-Sea.
For the third time during the trip, William spoke in French and English to address the crowds.
"We have both so looked forward to this day, and discovering more about your beautiful island," he said.
The royal pair delighted the several thousand people gathered at the site by walking over to shake hands and stop for a quick chat, while some handed them flowers, including the east coast Canadian flower, Lupins, and hand-held Canadian flags, while snapping photos.
The smiling couple hopped into a landau led by Canadian Mounties to take them to Confederation Landing for another walkabout before heading to the resort at Dalvay by-the-Sea.
The royal pair left Canada's smallest province late Monday afternoon. They ended the day by flying to Yellowknife, the capital of the sparsely-populated Northwest Territories, where several hundred people greeted them. They leave Canada for a three-day trip to California on July 8.
___
Associated Press Writer Charmaine Noronha in Toronto contributed to this report.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Prince William performs water landings in Canada (AP)
DALVAY BY-THE-SEA, Prince Edward Island – Prince William enjoyed showing off his military helicopter training with his first-ever water landing Monday to the delight of anxious crowds in Canada, where he and his wife, Kate, have been on their first official overseas trip since their wedding.
The Duke of Cambridge climbed into the cockpit of a Sea King helicopter for the military training exercise at Dalvay by-the-Sea, a scenic resort along Prince Edward Island's north shore. Prince William, a Royal Air Force rescue helicopter pilot, requested the simulated emergency landing procedure.
Dressed in an olive flight suit and helmet, the prince settled the large helicopter on the water several times over the course of an hour.
From the water, William piloted several takeoffs and hovered in the air before executing dual- and single-engine landings before taxiing around as Kate watched from the ground.
"He was looking for his wife on the shoreline at one point," said Col. Sam Michaud, 42, who trained William. "She was waving back about 100 feet away."
Michaud said William is now fully trained. He said William remarked that the "boys back at his squadron would be absolutely jealous."
Canada is the only country that trains its Sea King helicopter pilots to do a controlled landing on water if there's an emergency. The exercise William performed Monday is known as waterbirding, and if the number of times he tried it was any indication, the prince was enjoying the technique. The Sea King, which William flies back in the U.K, has the ability to land on water because of its amphibious hull.
Maj. Pat MacNamara called him a star pilot.
"I would suggest he was having quite a bit of fun," MacNamara said. "He said it was one of the highlights of his trip."
Prince Edward Island resident Linda Patton, 60, said she was nervous watching the prince fly.
"It was thrilling to watch and a little nerve-racking I must admit, especially the ones he was hovering and came straight down" Patton said.
The royal pair then got to flex their muscles by paddling in two dragon boats to race against each other. Kate, dressed in black sportswear, got to demonstrate her athletic prowess while on the water by taking the stern of her boat. She trained as part of a dragon boat crew in 2007, and the rivalry with William appeared to be genuine.
William gripped his paddle to execute a strong stroke, while Kate moved from the stern to paddle in her boat. The prince's boat won the short race by a hair and William exited the boat to give Kate a warm consolation hug. Kate laughed and tried to push William in the water.
Later, the royal couple met an actress who plays the fictional star of Anne of Green Gables, the classic Canadian novel for which Prince Edward Island is famed. Actress Tess Benger, 23, who performs as Anne in a play, gave Kate a copy of the book. Kate, a fan of the novel, told her she would read it again.
In a tent, the couple sampled the island's food. William put his hands on his stomach and joked about eating too much on the trip. He passed on the oyster tasting, saying to Kate "this is where you take over."
They tasted Island beef with sweet onion marmalade, lobster and potato chowder, pork and beef belly and strawberry shortcake. The couple later observed a search and rescue operation.
The Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge, as they are officially known, were on the fifth of a nine-day trip to Canada, part of their first official overseas trip since their April 29 wedding.
They were welcomed to their third Canadian province Monday with cheering, waving crowds excited to catch a glimpse of royalty at Province House. The site is the home of Prince Edward Island's legislature and of a historic meeting 146 years ago that paved the way for Canada's eventual unification and independence.
On Monday morning, Kate sported a cream dress by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, who designed the wedding gown she wore. William wore his traditional dark suit and red tie. Kate later wore dark skinny jeans and a navy-belted trenchcoat with a bright red scarf from Burton's wardrobe at Dalvay-by-the-Sea.
For the third time during the trip, William spoke in French and English to address the crowds.
"We have both so looked forward to this day, and discovering more about your beautiful island," he said.
The royal pair delighted the several thousand people gathered at the site by walking over to shake hands and stop for a quick chat, while some handed them flowers, including the east coast Canadian flower, Lupins, and hand-held Canadian flags, while snapping photos.
The smiling couple hopped into a landau led by Canadian Mounties to take them to Confederation Landing for another walkabout before heading to the resort at Dalvay by-the-Sea.
The royal pair will leave Canada's smallest province late Monday afternoon for Yellowknife, capital of the sparsely-populated Northwest Territories. They leave for a three-day trip to California on July 8.
___
Associated Press Writer Charmaine Noronha in Toronto contributed to this report.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Prince William, Kate greeted by protesters (AP)
MONTREAL – Prince William's new bride Kate countered protesters with smiles Saturday, as the royal couple came face to face with loud opposition in the French-speaking province of Quebec in a brief reversal of what has otherwise been a hugely successful trip.
About 35 protesters, including members of the separatist group Reseau de Resistance du Quebecois, or Quebecker Resistance Network, stood outside Sainte-Justine University Hospital Centre in Montreal chanting "A united people will never be vanquished."
The newlyweds were there to visit with cancer patients and the hospital's neonatal care facility. The Sainte-Justine University Hospital Centre is the largest mother-child center in Canada.
Protesters carried signs that read "Parasites go home," `'War Criminals," and "Your fortune came from the blood of our ancestors."
"It's a symbol of English dominance over Quebec," said 30-year-old lawyer Antoine Pich of the couple's visit.
Dressed in black capes, the protesters were drumming and booing as the royal couple's motorcade pulled up to the hospital. William was whisked into the hospital as Kate stepped out of the car and smiled at the crowd before going in.
The demonstrations were a rare moment of criticism aimed at the young royals, who have for the most part been welcomed with open arms by Canadians eager to see the glamorous newlyweds.
The protesters were outnumbered about 10 to one by William and Kate supporters gathered outside the hospital. "Give me one good reason why you should hate someone. They're good people," said Elyane Lafontaine, 51.
Saturday was the couple's quietest and least frenetic day since beginning their tour on Thursday. The trip unfolded with two days of rousing crowds and seas of well-wishers clamoring to catch a glimpse of royalty during the couple's stay in Ottawa, the country's English-speaking capital city.
Protesters were angry that Canada still has ties to the monarchy. Queen Elizabeth II is still the country's figurative head of state and new Canadian citizens still pledge allegiance to the Queen during their swearing-in ceremony. Others said they were angry that taxpayer money is being used to pay for the royal tour.
Michael Behiels, an Ottawa University professor, said there was much hostility between the French and the English in the years following Great Britain's 1759 Conquest of New France — which is present day Quebec.
Maxime Laporte, head of the Reseau de Resistance du Quebecois, said the monarchy doesn't represent Quebec and is illegitimate here because the province has never accepted Canada's constitution. He called the royal tour a "nation-building exercise" funded by taxpayers.
The royal couple left the hospital and headed to the de Tourisme et D'Hotellerie du Quebec, where they were met again by a handful of protesters dominated by about 150 supporters. Many of the detractors loudly protested with megaphones and booing as the motorcade arrived.
One man perched above on a balcony earned cheers from the crowd as he chanted, before the couple arrived, "Vive le Quebec libre!"
The royal couple left the hospital and headed to the Institut de Tourisme et D'Hotellerie du Quebec, where they were met again by a handful of protesters dominated by about 150 supporters. Some spectators held signs that said, "Bienvenue Will et Kate sur Le Plateau," which welcomes them to the trendy Montreal neighborhood where the institute is located.
Once inside, Kate and William donned aprons and took part in a cooking workshop at the facility, which is a government agency that conducts training and research in the hotel, tourism and food service industries.
Wearing white cooking jackets, the pair got into the pots and pans to whip up some authentic Quebec fare. They helped make foie gras with toasted brioche, Charlevoix lamb, lobster souffle and a cheesecake-type dish with caramel and meringue. The couple are slated to dine with Quebec Premier Jean Charest and his wife Michele.
Before heading to the French-speaking city, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge started the third day of their tour in Ottawa, Ontario, with a tree-planting ceremony at Government House that has become a royal family tradition and a visit to the Canadian War Museum.
Prince William, wearing a dark blue suit, and Kate, dressed in a grey, fitted knee-length Kensington dress by British designer Catherine Walker, each wielded a shovel as they helped plant a Canadian hemlock — a tree known for its longevity meant to symbolize their marriage.
Their tree was the 17th planted by a member of the British royal family in a tradition dating back to 1939. Prince William's parents, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, planted trees on previous visits at Rideau Hall, the official residence of both the Canadian monarch and Governor General, the queen's representative in Canada.
The couple then attended a reception at the Canadian War Museum with veterans of conflicts from World War II to Afghanistan. The couple met with the veterans and with war brides — about 45,000 women came from Europe to Canada as war brides after World War II, most of them from the United Kingdom.
Moments after entering the museum, the couple walked over to a group of seated women who served as nurses in the Canadian military during World War II and the Korean War. The royal pair spent several minutes with them.
The royal couple are in Quebec for a two-day stay.
A 2009 visit by Prince William's father, Prince Charles, to Montreal was disrupted by more than 200 separatist protesters. The protesters sat in the street, blocking the prince's way into a ceremony planned at an armory, and threw eggs at the soldiers who were accompanying him and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall. The couple were forced to enter the building through a back door and missed an elaborate welcoming ceremony that had been planned.
In 1990, Canada Day celebrations were disrupted briefly by protesters from Quebec who booed and turned their back on the queen.
However, support for the separatists among Quebeckers has been on the decline in recent years as the 80-percent French-speaking province has enjoyed plenty of autonomy even without quitting Canada.
The royal couple leave Canada for a three-day trip to California on July 8.
___
Associated Press Writers Charmaine Noronha in Toronto and Rob Gillies in Ottawa, Ontario, contributed to this story.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Monaco's prince weds bride in lavish ceremony (AP)
MONACO – Monaco's Prince Albert married Charlene Wittstock in an extravagant religious ceremony Saturday attended by international celebrities and royalty, bringing new allure to the tiny principality known for its luxurious casinos and as stomping ground for the rich and famous.
The Catholic service ended two days of pomp and followed an intimate civil ceremony Friday. The marriage of the 53-year-old prince and the 33-year-old Wittstock, a one-time Olympic swimmer from South Africa, ended a three-decade wait for a new princess.
The last wedding of a ruling prince in Monaco was in 1956 when Hollywood actress Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III.
Saturday's ceremony was attended by guests including Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld, former James Bond actor Roger Moore and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Thousands of Monaco's residents cheered the proceedings while watching on large screens set up outside the palace, where both ceremonies were held.
Wittstock swept along the red carpet leading into the palace on her father's arm. In her sumptuous boat neck gown by Giorgio Armani Prive, her hair pulled back in a swirling French twist and with only the lightest touch of makeup, she seemed to channel the effortless elegance of Grace Kelly.
Throughout the ceremony, which lasted an hour and a half, both bride and groom had demure expressions. Only as they took their vows and exchanged rings did the solemn facade crack: As they slipped on the 18 carat white gold Cartier rings onto each other's fingers, Albert — in a white military uniform — shot her a wink, and Charlene cracked a broad, sincere smile.
The tears flowed freely down the new princess' face after the ceremony, as she left her bouquet of lilies of the valley and other white blossoms at the Sainte Devote church — a tradition in Monaco.
With photographers shouting for the attention of the A-list guests as they streamed into the palace, the wedding had something of the flavor of a star-studded red carpet at the film festival in neighboring Cannes.
British actor Roger Moore, a longtime Monaco resident and a former James Bond, lent a touch of secret agent glamour. The carpet might as well have been a catwalk for British model Naomi Campbell and Czech supermodel Karolina Kurkova.
Royal guests included monarchs from Denmark and Sweden. Prince Karim Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the world's Ismaili Muslims, and Empress Farah Pahlavi, wife of Iran's deposed shah, chatted with former French first lady Bernadette Chirac inside the palace.
The last guest to enter according to protocol, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, elicited extensive applause and hoots of approval in what was likely the warmest welcome the leader, whose popularity ratings hover at record lows, has received in a long time.
The most enthusiastic welcome was reserved for the bride and members of the Grimaldi family, one of Europe's oldest dynasties. Albert's sisters, Princesses Stephanie and Caroline, both looked fetching in their short taupe dresses, Caroline's steely blue eyes hidden behind the oversized brim of her hat. Her daughter, Charlotte Casiraghi, was breathtaking in a pink off-the-shoulder cocktail dress by Chanel.
While Charlene — whose name is now officially written with an accent to give it a more French resonance — wore a blue ensemble of her own design to Friday's civil ceremony, she opted for one of her longtime favorite designers, Armani, for Saturday's wedding gown. The "petites mains" or seamstresses of his haute couture atelier put more than 2,500 hours of work into the dress, a strong-lined, made-to-measure concoction of more than 130 meters (about 140 yards) of different silks, 40,000 Swarovski crystals and 20,000 mother of pearl beads.
The ceremony, officiated by Monseigneur Bernard Barsi, Archbishop of Monaco, included moving performances by U.S. soprano Renee Fleming and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, as well as a tradition "click song" by South Africa's Pumeza Matshikiza — a nod to the princess' roots.
After the ceremony, about 450 select guests tucked into a multi-course gala prepared by celebrated French-born chef Alain Ducasse.
Filet of golden mullet and a vegetable medley "arranged to portray a landscape typical of the coast of the Riviera," according to a statement, was the main event at the three-course meal, where everything besides the South African wines and Champagnes were sourced from within a 10-kilometer (6-mile) radius of Monaco.
Ducasse, who like many in his tax bracket has taken citizenship in Monaco, is the first chef to earn three Michelin stars in three different cities, including three for his Louis XV restaurant in the principality.
Charlene was born in Zimbabwe, but moved to neighboring South Africa as a child, and under the tutelage of her mother, a swim coach, competed for that country at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
Albert — also a former Olympic athlete, having competed in five Winter Olympics as part of Monaco's bobsled team — has been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1985.
Albert and Charlene met during a 2000 swimming competition in Monaco. She then began appearing regularly at social events and moved to Monaco in 2006. Residents say Charlene has since maintained a low profile.
The couple's civil wedding on Friday was held in the palace's sumptuous throne room where Rainier III and Grace Kelly married. The actress died in a car crash nearly 30 years ago, and Monaco had been without a princess ever since. Known as a notorious ladies man, Albert long eschewed marriage, and many in Monaco had resigned themselves to forever having a bachelor prince.
The constitution was even modified to ensure the continuity of the Grimaldi line in case Albert never produced an heir. The prince has acknowledged having fathered two children out of wedlock, but only his legitimate offspring would be able to succeed him.
Rumors have swirled in recent days that a third illegitimate child had surfaced — prompting Charlene to allegedly try to call off the wedding and return to South Africa days before the festivities.
The palace has denied the reports, dismissing them as "ugly rumors" prompted by spite and jealousy.
Charlene has told interviewers she would like to have children, and Archbishop Barsi asked those at Saturday's ceremony to pray for the fecundity of the princely union.
Prince Albert of Monaco weds Charlene Wittstock (AFP)
MONACO (AFP) – South African swimming champion Charlene Wittstock married Prince Albert II of Monaco on Friday and became Princess of Monaco, in a civil ceremony in the throne room of her new palace.
The couple were to celebrate their wedding with their subjects in the tiny Mediterranean principality with a waterfront barbecue and pop concert before solemnising their marriage at a religious ceremony on Saturday.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Prince William and Princess Catherine arrive in Canada (AFP)
OTTAWA (AFP) – Britain's Prince William and new bride Princess Catherine arrived in the Canadian capital on Thursday to begin their first official foreign trip as a couple, AFP journalists saw.
Thousands desperate to glimpse the pair lined the streets of Ottawa ahead of their first scheduled event, a wreath-laying ceremony at a World War I memorial at 1835 GMT.
During a nine-day tour packed with pomp and pageantry they will also celebrate Canada's national holiday and take in lighter events such as a cooking class, aboriginal sports and a rodeo.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Canada unveils flag for Prince William (AP)
OTTAWA, Ontario – Canada's prime minister unveiled Wednesday a personal flag for Prince William for use during his upcoming visit.
It will be flown for the first time on Thursday when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive for a nine-day tour of his future realm. Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the flag was approved by Queen Elizabeth II and William.
The flag will be flown at any building during his stay and on all vehicles. It is the first flag to be created by Canada for a member of the Royal Family since 1962, when the queen adopted a personal flag for her own use in Canada.
The queen also approved the design and creation of a personal flag for William's father Prince Charles. The queen is the head of state in Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies.
Harper is the most pro-monarchy Canadian leader since the 1950s, and his ambition is to foster a national identity that is more conservative and more aware of its historical roots.
"The flag is a testament to the special bond between Canada and the Royal Family and pays tribute to our shared history, traditions and institutions. It will be flown with great pride throughout the upcoming Royal Tour by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge," Harper said in a statement.
Harper has been shifting the country's ideological bearings from center-left to center-right — a project that lays greater stress on such symbols as the monarchy, the military, hockey and the Arctic.
To mark the queen's husband's 90th birthday this month, Harper announced that he appointed Prince Philip an honorary admiral and general in the Canadian Armed Forces, the first time an honorary rank has been granted at the highest level of the Canadian Armed Forces
Harper is expected to bask in the aura of William and Kate on their first official overseas trip as a married couple.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Prince William celebrates his 29th birthday (AP)
LONDON – Just-married Prince William is celebrating his 29th birthday at work.
The prince, a helicopter search-and-rescue pilot in the Royal Air Force, is on duty at a base on an island off the coast of Wales and is expected to mark his birthday privately.
The prospect of a low-key birthday on Tuesday might appeal to the prince following his blow-out April 29 wedding at Westminster Abbey to Kate Middleton. He is also due to travel to Canada and the United States next month on his first official overseas trip as a married man.
William's grandfather, Prince Philip, recently celebrated his 90th birthday with a full day of official engagements.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Britain's Prince Philip praised at 90th birthday service (AFP)
WINDSOR, United Kingdom (AFP) – Britain's royal family gathered Sunday for a service of thanksgiving marking the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II's husband Prince Philip.
More than 750 guests, including senior royals, his Mountbatten family relatives, foreign royalty, past and present staff and friends from the world of sailing, polo and carriage driving turned out to celebrate his milestone.
The Duke of Edinburgh, the longest-serving consort in British history, turned 90 on Friday and marked the occasion in idiosyncratic style -- getting on with his duties as he hosted a charity reception and a colonels' conference.
Sunday's service at Saint George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, west of London, was the focal point for his birthday commemorations.
His grandson Prince William and his new wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, braved the rain to attend, as did the former king Constantine II of Greece.
The Dean of Windsor, the Right Reverend David Conner, made the congregation laugh when he told them the duke, born a prince of Greece and Denmark, "doesn't like to the praised".
But he said praise was due for the royal patriarch, who for more than six decades has been the queen's tireless supporter.
The dean paid tribute to Prince Philip's service to Britain and the wider Commonwealth, his patronage of more than 800 organisations and his "modest" nature.
The duke, known for his plain-speaking, received a new title for his 90th birthday Friday.
The queen made him Lord High Admiral -- the titular head of the British Royal Navy -- partly in recognition of the promising seafaring career he gave up to spend a lifetime at her side.
Prince Philip told the BBC he would finally scale back his workload.
"I reckon I've done my bit. I want to enjoy myself a bit now, with less responsibility, less frantic rushing about, less preparation, less trying to think of something to say," he said.
"On top of that my memory's going, I can't remember names. I'm just sort of winding down."
Friday, June 10, 2011
Prince Philip celebrates 90th birthday (AFP)
LONDON (AFP) – Prince Philip, the husband of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, turns 90 on Friday but will keep the celebrations at a minimum in keeping with the no-nonsense style that has defined a life behind the throne.
The gruff patriarch, the longest-serving consort in British history, will spend his birthday at work, hosting a charity reception and chairing a conference for military colonels.
Although still sprightly and remarkably fit, the Duke of Edinburgh is bowing to his age and intends to slow his hectic schedule of engagements.
But he is as quick as ever when making quips -- some of which have famously landed him in trouble -- and after a lifetime of getting on with it, he showed typical impatience when asked to analyse the past 90 years.
He admitted in a BBC interview that he had worked out his role by "trial and error", but when asked if he thought he had been successful, he replied: "I couldn't care less. Who cares what I think about it? I mean it's ridiculous."
However, in a sign of the public affection for him, the palace revealed that almost 2,000 birthday cards had been sent to the duke from across the globe, including New Zealand and Australia, Italy, Poland, France and Germany.
Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark, a nephew of Greek king Constantine I, was born on a kitchen table on Corfu on June 10, 1921.
After a turbulent childhood, Lieutenant Mountbatten, as he became, married in 1947, but his stellar progress in the British Royal Navy was halted when his wife became queen in 1952 and he was forced to abandon his career.
He told ITV it was "disappointing", but "being married to the queen, it seemed to me that my first duty was to serve her in the best way I could."
Since then he has carved out his own role supporting the monarch, accompanying her on visits and jollying people up with his off-the-cuff remarks, which have sometimes been near the knuckle.
"You managed not to get eaten, then?" he told a British student who had trekked in Papua New Guinea, in 1998.
He is patron of some 800 organisations, and has carved a niche for himself in the fields of conservation, design and developing life skills among youngsters. At the grand age of 90, however, he has finally decided to take a step back.
"I reckon I've done my bit. I want to enjoy myself a bit now, with less responsibility, less frantic rushing about, less preparation, less trying to think of something to say," he told the BBC.
"On top of that my memory's going, I can't remember names. I'm just sort of winding down."
Paying tribute to the duke this week, Prime Minister David Cameron said he had been "a constant companion and a source of rock-solid strength" to the queen, and had served the British people "with an unshakeable sense of duty".
He said Britons found the duke's "inimitable" down-to-earth style "endearing" and the country owed him a "deserved debt of gratitude."
Buckingham Palace has released 90 facts about the duke to mark his birthday, including that he drives a liquid petroleum gas taxi around London and designed the Inter-University Tiddlywinks Championship trophy.
The formal marking of his 90th birthday will be a service of thanksgiving at Saint George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, attended by the royal family, with a reception to follow. A special commemorative coin has also been produced.
The no-frills celebrations are very much in keeping with his character.
As a youth, the prince was "very boyish, but great fun, always great fun and very kind," his cousin Lady Myra Butter said.
"He hasn't really changed much as a person at all, I don't think. He just gets on with it. That's his motto. Just get on with it."
Thursday, June 9, 2011
UK Queen's feisty husband Prince Philip turns 90 (Reuters)
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain's Prince Philip, renowned for his blunt talk and verbal gaffes, turns 90 on Friday, spending the day as he has much of life performing official duties in his role as Queen Elizabeth's husband.
The son of the exiled Prince Andrew of Greece, Philip married the queen in 1947 and is now the longest-serving consort and oldest-serving spouse of any British monarch.
Despite being a near constant companion at the queen's side during her long reign, the still sprightly prince has rarely sought the limelight himself.
His birthday will be in keeping with that low-key style; he will hold a reception to mark the centenary of a charity for the deaf and in the evening he will chair a conference for senior British military figures followed by a dinner.
"It's a normal working day for him. There's no celebration as such," his spokeswoman said.
The only formal event to mark his birthday will take place on Sunday with a special service at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, one of the queen's residences, west of London, which will be attended by most of the royal family.
Philip, the oldest living great-great-grandchild of Britain's Queen Victoria, was born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark on the Greek island of Corfu in 1921.
His family was forced into exile when Philip was 18 months old and he came to England as a child, later becoming a naturalized British citizen.
He served in the Royal Navy during World War Two, taking part in the Allied landings in Sicily and was in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrendered in 1945.
He first met his future wife when she was 13 and visited the naval college where he was a cadet, and following the war they got engaged, when he was given the title the Duke of Edinburgh.
"STRENGTH AND STAY"
As the queen's husband he has no clear constitutional role, although he does accompany his wife on most of her official engagements in Britain and all her foreign trips.
"He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years," the queen said in a personal tribute to Philip during a speech to mark their 50th wedding anniversary in 1997.
"I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know."
His most notable achievement is the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme for young people, which is estimated to have attracted about seven million participants from 132 countries since 1956.
In an interview with the BBC to be aired on Thursday, Philip himself said he took no credit for the scheme, and gave a typically blunt answer when asked if he thought he had been successful in his royal role.
"I couldn't care less," he said, adding that he would be winding down his official engagements. "Who cares what I think about it, I mean it's ridiculous."
It is for such gruff remarks, and unguarded comments and gaffes that he is best-known, with his sayings even being published in several books.
He once told British students in China: "If you stay here much longer, you'll be slitty-eyed" and asked Aborigines in Australia if they still threw spears at each other.
Prime Minister David Cameron said Philip had always done things "in his own inimitable way, with a down-to-earth, no-nonsense approach that the British people I believe find endearing."
While Philip has spent his life in the shadow of the queen, there is one place where he outshines his wife -- on the south Pacific island of Tanna in the Vanuatu group, where the locals worship him as a god.
(Editing by Paul Casciato)
(To read more about our entertainment news, visit our blog "Fan Fare" online at http://blogs.reuters.com/fanfare/)
Prince Philip soldiers on as he turns 90 (AFP)
LONDON (AFP) – Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, turns 90 on Friday but will mark the occasion with little fanfare, in keeping with his famously no-nonsense style.
The longest-serving consort in British history would have been forgiven a day off to celebrate, but the gruff patriarch did not want a fuss and will spend the day at work, hosting a reception and a colonels' conference.
Sprightly and remarkably fit, the Duke of Edinburgh shows few signs of slowing up in his old age and is as quick as ever when making quips -- some of which have famously landed him in trouble.
Prime Minister David Cameron paid tribute to him in parliament on Wednesday, saying he would keep his remarks brief as, in the prince's words, "the mind cannot absorb what the backside cannot endure."
Prince Philip has been named Oldie of the Year by The Oldie magazine, but the peppery former naval officer is not impressed.
"Well, so what? You just get old!" he told ITV television in an interview to mark his birthday.
Forthright and impatient, the duke has spent his entire life getting on with it, and he gave little away about his feelings on turning 90.
Asked if there was anything he would have done differently, he said: "I'd rather not have made the mistakes that I did make; I'm not going to tell you what they are!"
Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark, a nephew of Greek king Constantine I, was born on a kitchen table on Corfu on June 10, 1921.
After a turbulent childhood, Lieutenant Mountbatten, as he became, married in 1947, but his stellar progress in the British Royal Navy was halted when his wife became queen in 1952 and he was forced to abandon his career.
He told ITV it was "disappointing", but "being married to the queen, it seemed to me that my first duty was to serve her in the best way I could."
Since then he has carved out his own role supporting the queen, accompanying her on visits and jollying people up with his off-the-cuff remarks, which have sometimes been near the knuckle.
"You managed not to get eaten, then?" he told a British student who had trekked in Papua New Guinea, in 1998.
He is patron of some 800 organisations, and has carved a niche for himself in the fields of conservation, design and developing life skills among youngsters.
The duke was on form during the queen's historic first state visit to Ireland last month, eyeing up a freshly-poured pint of Guinness, despite it being only half an hour after breakfast.
Cameron said the duke had been "a constant companion and a source of rock-solid strength" to Queen Elizabeth.
"He has served us, the British people, with an unshakeable sense of duty."
Cameron said Britons found the duke's "inimitable" down-to-earth style "endearing" and the country owed him a "deserved debt of gratitude."
Opposition leader Ed Miliband said the duke was a "prince amongst consorts, but a king amongst characters.
"His unique turn of phrase has been a much loved feature of British public life."
MP Nicholas Soames, a grandson of wartime prime minister Winston Churchill and a friend of the prince for 50 years, said he "refreshingly does not suffer fools gladly -- as I know to my cost."
Buckingham Palace has released 90 facts about the duke to mark his birthday, including that he drives a liquid petroleum gas taxi around London and designed the Inter-University Tiddlywinks Championship trophy.
The formal marking of his 90th birthday will be a service of thanksgiving at Saint George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, attended by the royal family, with a reception to follow.
The no-frills celebrations are very much in keeping with his character.
As a youth, the prince was "very boyish, but great fun, always great fun and very kind," his cousin Lady Myra Butter said.
"He hasn't really changed much as a person at all, I don't think.
"He just gets on with it. That's his motto. Just get on with it."
Saturday, June 4, 2011
London tourist alert: Prince William on horseback (AP)
LONDON – Sharp-eyed tourists outside Buckingham Palace had a rare opportunity Saturday to see Prince William on horseback.
But even those in the vicinity might well have missed him, since his well-known face was obscured by a traditional tall bearskin hat.
The prince was taking part in a rehearsal for next week's "Trooping the Colour," a major event to mark Queen Elizabeth II's official birthday.
The queen turned 85 in April, but the public party for the monarch's birthday is held on a Saturday in June when the weather is better. The custom dates from 1748 and will be June 11 this year.
William, riding a mottled gray horse called Wellesley, was wearing the red Irish Guards tunic with a blue sash that he wore at his April 29 wedding to Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey.
William, 28, was made Colonel of the Irish Guards in February. He is expected to wear the same outfit at the actual "Trooping the Colour" ceremony, which usually draws thousands of well-wishers to the ceremonial heart of London.
The event Saturday, officially known as the Colonel's Review, is the second of two rehearsals for the queen's birthday festivities.
William and his new wife, formally known as the Duchess of Cambridge, plan to visit Canada and California in late June and early July.
They will visit several cities in Canada from June 30 to July 8, traveling throughout much of Canada on their first official overseas trip as a married couple.
They also plan a stop in Los Angeles and the surrounding area from July 8-10.
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