Prince William is once again the most eligible bachelor in the world following his split from girlfriend Kate Middleton, which was widely reported on Saturday.
LONDON: Britain's Prince William is once again the most eligible bachelor in the world following his split from girlfriend Kate Middleton, which was widely reported on Saturday.
William, 24, seems to have it all: second in line to the throne, scion of one of the richest and noblest families on the planet, he is both intelligent and blessed with his late mother's good looks.
After a troubled upbringing -- his parents separated in 1992, divorced in 1996 and his mother Diana, princess of Wales was killed in a car crash in 1997 -- it is almost impossible to hear a bad word said against him.
Indeed, many royal polls have suggested that a sizeable minority want the crown to pass straight to William from Queen Elizabeth II, bypassing his father Prince Charles.
By all accounts he is a thoughtful man and a mature head on young shoulders and seemed well on the way to marriage with Middleton, following a lengthy romance. But his reported split from his university sweetheart shocked many.
Ensconced in his barracks, Cornet Wales, as the army officer is known in the military, is far from Middleton, who works in London as an accessories buyer for a fashion chain.
The press interest in the couple, the physical distance between them and his apparent love of the army life were cited in media reports as one of the reasons for his break-up with Middleton.
His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis was born on June 21, 1982 in Paddington, central London. He had a classic British private education and went to Eton, probably the kingdom's most famous and exclusive school.
His mother, meanwhile, always tried to give him an insight into life outside the gilded palaces and historic school halls, with occasional excursions to fast food joints or the cinema. He is a keen sportsman and enjoys playing football, rugby union, tennis, swimming and water polo. William revealed in rare interviews how he enjoyed reading and the cinema, driving his car and dancing in his spare time.
An athletic six feet three inches tall, William inherited his father's love of outdoor sports like hunting and polo.
The prince did well in his exams in 2001, winning a place at the University of St Andrews, one of Scotland's oldest, to study history of art. Middleton was on the same course. The pair were flatmates and began dating in late 2003.
William was reported to have become disillusioned part-way through his studies and she and his father were credited with encouraging him to stay on and switch to studying geography rather than quitting altogether.
Before starting he took a gap year out, including 10 weeks' voluntary work experience in Chile, where he cleaned a toilet among other duties. He also spent time on military manoeuvres in Belize, worked as a farm hand in southwest England and visited a number of countries in Africa.
Relatively little is known of his time at St Andrews. Under a deal reached with Charles, the media agreed to respect his private life during his studies.
He shared a flat with Middleton and two others, did his own shopping at the supermarket, wore jeans and pullovers with holes in them, and met his friends over a cider in the pub.
After graduating, he entered the elite Sandhurst military academy and trained to become an army officer.
William graduated from Sandhurst in December, in front of Queen Elizabeth and Middleton. It was interpreted as a sign of her growing acceptance in royal circles. He joined the Blues and Royals regiment of the Household Cavalry as a second lieutenant.
In March, he began a two-and-a-half-month course at Bovington Camp in Dorset, southwest England, training to become a tank commander.
In the military, he is far away from intruding camera lenses and surrounded by a tight group of colleagues.
Last month William posed for pictures with his arms around girls and danced with them on podiums during a boozy, fun-filled excursion with fellow soldiers when they were allowed out of the barracks.
The girls told newspapers they were only too happy to party with the handsome prince. And his zest for spending time with his new army pals could have spelt the end for his relationship with Middleton.
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