Britain's Prince William lonely at college-papers
( 2002-03-05 11:37 ) (7 )

Britain's dashing Prince William is lonely and bored as a student at Scotland's ancient St. Andrews University but has been told to stick it out, according to media reports on Monday.

The Daily Mail tabloid, quoting royal officials, said the 19-year-old son of the late Princess Diana was determined to continue with his studies in art history at the famous university on Scotland's bleak eastern coast.

"Prince Charles advised him that most students took a while to settle in and urged him to 'stick with it'," the paper said.

William's father and heir-to-the-throne Charles spent his student years at Cambridge University although, according to reports at the time, college life also did not suit him.

Buckingham Palace refused to be drawn on the reports. "We're not commenting on speculative stories," a palace official said.

A spokesman for St. Andrews declined comment also.

The Sunday Times cited sources as saying William has struggled to make friends and finds the university isolated.

The heart-throb prince has tried to play down his royal status, letting it be known that he wishes to be known simply as William Wales and be treated like any other student during his four-year course.

But the shy teenager hardly leads the life of a normal student at the college in Fife, 480 miles (770 km) north of London.

Police bodyguards live in rooms next to his in St Salvator's hall, founded in 1450, and while the media have largely respected his request for privacy, newspapers have tracked down where he has been seen at local pubs with friends.

"What he does in his private time we see as private," said a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman.

William has made clear that if the media attention reaches the point where it is making life difficult for other students, he will rethink his decision to attend the university.

The Sunday Times said William had discussed with his father the possibility of a transfer to the more cosmopolitan environment of Edinburgh University, or even a university in Italy or the United States.

A palace official said William's longer term career ambitions were unclear. "There has been a huge amount of speculation on a career in the military but it isn't something that has come from here," the official said.