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Get engaged or cool it with Kate, aides tell Officer William
Last updated at 22:37pm on 30.12.06
Prince William has been urged to get engaged to girlfriend Kate Middleton or put the relationship on hold when he begins military service next month.
The Mail on Sunday has learned that William has been warned by his closest advisers that, as a Second Lieutenant with The Blues and Royals, it will be almost impossible for him to continue his relationship with Kate as it now stands.
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In frank discussions between the Prince, his private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton and other key aides, William has been presented with two 'ideal' scenarios - announce an engagement in the New Year or cool his romance with Kate during his military service with the Household Cavalry at Bovington Camp, Dorset.
A security source familiar with the discussions explained: "William has been told that Kate can't travel with him on Army time or live with him on base unless they are married. It is a matter of Army protocol. And protecting them both would be far easier if William were to formalise the relationship.
"If an engagement were announced, Kate would receive Scotland Yard protection, a marriage could be arranged relatively quickly and they could settle into married life within the private and secure bosom of the Army."
William, who passed out from Sandhurst this month, is close to his grandparents and it cannot have passed unmentioned that the happiest days of the Queen and Prince Philip's marriage fell the year after their wedding when Philip, on active service in the Royal Navy, was posted to Malta.
He and the then Princess Elizabeth hired the Villa Guardamangia and lived in relative anonymity. Each Thursday they would drive to the Phenicia Hotel on the road to the island's capital of Valletta and dance until the small hours.
In stark contrast, Prince Charles notoriously learned that Camilla Shand had become engaged to Andrew Parker Bowles while at sea on a tour of duty with the Royal Navy.
There is no sense, however, of William missing the boat in quite this fashion should he decide against an engagement. The security source said: "There isn't any real worry about him losing Kate and William is absolutely clear that the decision is his entirely.
"He's not being pushed towards marriage but he has been made aware that certain issues would be better addressed sooner rather than later. With him embarking on a military career, it brings a certain timescale into play."
William has been told that, should he propose, marriage arrangements can be handled speedily. But it has been emphasised that the decision is his to make.
"Intriguingly, not even those closest to him are certain of which way he will jump,' the source added.
But the Prince, who like Kate is 24 and once claimed he would not get married until he was 28, knows he cannot ignore the duties of his status and the inevitable impact it will have on his relationships.
"William is about to start anything but an ordinary military career,' said one well-placed source. "He will do time in all three Services and he will have time off, as his father did, when he needs to attend to official duties.
"The farthest afield he is likely to be sent is Germany or Cyprus and he certainly won't be on the front line.
"Once he's settled into life at The Blues and Royals, the number of his public engagements is likely to go up, the number of charities of which he's patron will go up and then he'll be told to use HRH and be called Sir, and enough of this Will nonsense.
"As part of that, he and Kate can't go on with the relatively carefree lifestyle that they've had - popping off to the polo or what-have-you every other weekend.
"That can only go on for so long with impunity, and the more fully William takes on the mantle of his status, the more complicated such a lifestyle is likely to become."
A spokesman for Clarence House refused to comment.
Reader views (5)
Let them have their fun. They should have their own time.
- Esha D, Richmond, Virginia
It's not entirely up to them, it's a constitutional matter. Whomever Price William marries will be Head of State eventually. They're not a normal family and urging their advisers to let them get on with it is unhelpful.
- Mary, Hereford, UK
After everything that happened to Diana, Kate should run for the hills!
- A M, Gold Coast, Australia
Boy, those so called constitutional "experts" are at it again.
Their first successes ware Margeret and Peter Townsend, then Charles and Diana.
Not content with that lot they are interfering again.
- Minnie Ovens, Los Angeles, USA
Pressuring Prince William Could Possibly prove disasterous. Has anyone ever thought that maybe it was all up to kate and the prince,what they should do w/ thier lives? I can respect the "Monarchy",But geez. We are in the 21st century
- Margarita, Atlanta, Georgia USA
