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CNN Live At Daybreak

Birthday Boy: Prince William's 21st

Aired June 20, 2003 - 05:13   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It's a big birthday weekend for Britain's Prince William. The eldest son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana turns 21 tomorrow.
CNN's senior international correspondent Walter Rodgers joins us live from London with more on the celebration.

Wow, from Iraq to Prince William's 21st birthday, you do it all -- Walter.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well it is a milestone for anyone when you pass 21. But what makes this birthday so important, of course, is not so much for William, but rather for the -- for the palace, the House of Windsor itself. Because they know if they're going to survive, that is if the British monarchy is going to survive into the next and the next generation, they have to package and market Prince William beautifully because there's been so much disillusionment with the British monarchy over the past 15 years of scandals and embarrassment. That's why William is so important and why they're making so much of this 21st birthday party for Prince William, the late Princess Diana's eldest son -- Carol.

COSTELLO: What an incredible amount of pressure to put on such a young man. He's just 21 years old, that means he can't make a serious mistake.

RODGERS: Well I'm not so -- not so sure about that. If you look at the previous generations of Royals, all of them have made some rather egregious mistakes. So each of us often -- each of us often survives our mistakes.

But what I find interesting about this young man is that he does have much grace, poise and probably more intelligence than any of the recent Royals. What's also interesting about the young man is that he does seem to have that lovely common touch that his mother had. Indeed, Princess Diana tried to engrain that in him when she was raising him as a younger boy. So there is much hope for this young man, both as a symbol of the British monarchy and as a symbol for the United Kingdom in total -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes, and the fact that he's sexy and beautiful looking doesn't hurt either. A question for you, though, I know he's making a tour of Great Britain shaking hands and letting his adoring public gaze upon him, but how does his 21st birthday culminate in the big birthday celebration? RODGERS: Well there's going to be a bash at Windsor Castle that is going to be FFK, friends of the future king, and it's probably the most exclusive guest list to any party anywhere in the world this weekend. Windsor Castle, of course, belongs to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and it will be one fine party. There will be reporters pretending that they're covering that party, but we're all going to be standing outside the Norman walls, the ancient walls of Windsor Castle, and we'll never get a real good look inside.

But as I say, that's going to be one heck of a guest list, all of Prince Williams friends. And these are going to be, interestingly, his most trusted friends. That is those who have stood by him, often since he was a little boy, and those who the Royal Family can be sure won't try to smuggle a camera in or go crying to the tabloid press immediately afterwards. It'll be a good bash, but sadly, none of us are going to see it -- Carol.

COSTELLO: No, I don't think so, but at least you'll get to get close. Thank you. Walter Rodgers reporting live from London this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired June 20, 2003 - 05:13   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It's a big birthday weekend for Britain's Prince William. The eldest son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana turns 21 tomorrow.
CNN's senior international correspondent Walter Rodgers joins us live from London with more on the celebration.

Wow, from Iraq to Prince William's 21st birthday, you do it all -- Walter.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well it is a milestone for anyone when you pass 21. But what makes this birthday so important, of course, is not so much for William, but rather for the -- for the palace, the House of Windsor itself. Because they know if they're going to survive, that is if the British monarchy is going to survive into the next and the next generation, they have to package and market Prince William beautifully because there's been so much disillusionment with the British monarchy over the past 15 years of scandals and embarrassment. That's why William is so important and why they're making so much of this 21st birthday party for Prince William, the late Princess Diana's eldest son -- Carol.

COSTELLO: What an incredible amount of pressure to put on such a young man. He's just 21 years old, that means he can't make a serious mistake.

RODGERS: Well I'm not so -- not so sure about that. If you look at the previous generations of Royals, all of them have made some rather egregious mistakes. So each of us often -- each of us often survives our mistakes.

But what I find interesting about this young man is that he does have much grace, poise and probably more intelligence than any of the recent Royals. What's also interesting about the young man is that he does seem to have that lovely common touch that his mother had. Indeed, Princess Diana tried to engrain that in him when she was raising him as a younger boy. So there is much hope for this young man, both as a symbol of the British monarchy and as a symbol for the United Kingdom in total -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes, and the fact that he's sexy and beautiful looking doesn't hurt either. A question for you, though, I know he's making a tour of Great Britain shaking hands and letting his adoring public gaze upon him, but how does his 21st birthday culminate in the big birthday celebration? RODGERS: Well there's going to be a bash at Windsor Castle that is going to be FFK, friends of the future king, and it's probably the most exclusive guest list to any party anywhere in the world this weekend. Windsor Castle, of course, belongs to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and it will be one fine party. There will be reporters pretending that they're covering that party, but we're all going to be standing outside the Norman walls, the ancient walls of Windsor Castle, and we'll never get a real good look inside.

But as I say, that's going to be one heck of a guest list, all of Prince Williams friends. And these are going to be, interestingly, his most trusted friends. That is those who have stood by him, often since he was a little boy, and those who the Royal Family can be sure won't try to smuggle a camera in or go crying to the tabloid press immediately afterwards. It'll be a good bash, but sadly, none of us are going to see it -- Carol.

COSTELLO: No, I don't think so, but at least you'll get to get close. Thank you. Walter Rodgers reporting live from London this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com