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CNN Saturday Morning News

Prince William Turns 21

Aired June 21, 2003 - 09:41   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.


THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: The second in line to the British throne is looking to Africa as he turns 21 today. Prince William is planning an African theme dress party to mark the big milestone here. Now, as part of the birthday celebrations, British Poet Laureate Andrew Motion (ph) has put together a written tribute to William that's half rap, half sonnet, perfect for a 21-year-old.
Video footage released by the royal palace showed him playing a polo match, the game also fancied by his father, that would be Prince Charles.

You know, the entire world has watched from afar as Prince William grew up from his birth to his first day of school to his graduation, and then journeying on to college. Today he does turn 21 years old.

CNN's Walter Rodgers takes a look at the life of a man who may one day be the king of England.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Wales, Welsh school children serenade Prince William.

As he is about to turn 21, this future king of England grows in poise and grace. One part teenage idol, one part king in the making, he has the mien and mantle of his mother, Princess Diana, but he is also his father's son.

HAROLD BROOKS BAKER, EDITOR, "BURKE'S PEERAGE": There has never been in recent times a father in any royal family I know of who has done such a complete job of helping to mold the children.

RODGERS: Two future kings in waiting. Their clothes attest to a generational difference. We have known Prince Charles in the best and the worst of times, but the palace has built a wall around Prince William, his son, largely shielding him from the public eye, at least while he is in university, leaving much that we know about the young prince bordering on the banal.

INGRID SEWARD, ROYAL WATCHER: I think he's very spirited, with the looks of his mother and many of the mannerisms of his father.

PETER ARCHER, PRESS ASSOCIATION: We have learned he's able to shop for his own clothes. He likes modern fashion. RODGERS: Knowing who are you at 21 may be very hard when your mother was one of the most glamorous women in the world, when your grandmother is one of the wealthiest women about, and when you may have to wait 30 or 40 years to get the job you are trained for.

After the extraordinary public life and death of Princess Diana, the palace and the news media struck a deal -- leave Charles and Diana's children alone until they finish school. Few thought it would work, but largely, it has.

The palace agreed to the occasional photo opportunities. William's undeniable good looks win over many who might otherwise think it is time for the monarchy to go. In fact, William may be the British monarchy's best hope of surviving.

The young prince is the ultimate product in media marketing. A huge, invisible public relations machine has created the mythical William that few really know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He doesn't let his guard down. He's very careful. If he's going to truly relax, it will be among people he really trusts. He tends to be very, very close to the people he's been close to since he was a young boy.

RODGERS: It is difficult to call an English aristocrat normal, but in some ways, William is. He did have a difficult time as a university freshman and flirted with dropping out. And William is the product of a broken home, in which both his parents battled in an ugly divorce. That puts him in the same league as millions of other 21- year-olds.

Walter Rodgers, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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 21, 2003 - 09:41   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: The second in line to the British throne is looking to Africa as he turns 21 today. Prince William is planning an African theme dress party to mark the big milestone here. Now, as part of the birthday celebrations, British Poet Laureate Andrew Motion (ph) has put together a written tribute to William that's half rap, half sonnet, perfect for a 21-year-old.
Video footage released by the royal palace showed him playing a polo match, the game also fancied by his father, that would be Prince Charles.

You know, the entire world has watched from afar as Prince William grew up from his birth to his first day of school to his graduation, and then journeying on to college. Today he does turn 21 years old.

CNN's Walter Rodgers takes a look at the life of a man who may one day be the king of England.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Wales, Welsh school children serenade Prince William.

As he is about to turn 21, this future king of England grows in poise and grace. One part teenage idol, one part king in the making, he has the mien and mantle of his mother, Princess Diana, but he is also his father's son.

HAROLD BROOKS BAKER, EDITOR, "BURKE'S PEERAGE": There has never been in recent times a father in any royal family I know of who has done such a complete job of helping to mold the children.

RODGERS: Two future kings in waiting. Their clothes attest to a generational difference. We have known Prince Charles in the best and the worst of times, but the palace has built a wall around Prince William, his son, largely shielding him from the public eye, at least while he is in university, leaving much that we know about the young prince bordering on the banal.

INGRID SEWARD, ROYAL WATCHER: I think he's very spirited, with the looks of his mother and many of the mannerisms of his father.

PETER ARCHER, PRESS ASSOCIATION: We have learned he's able to shop for his own clothes. He likes modern fashion. RODGERS: Knowing who are you at 21 may be very hard when your mother was one of the most glamorous women in the world, when your grandmother is one of the wealthiest women about, and when you may have to wait 30 or 40 years to get the job you are trained for.

After the extraordinary public life and death of Princess Diana, the palace and the news media struck a deal -- leave Charles and Diana's children alone until they finish school. Few thought it would work, but largely, it has.

The palace agreed to the occasional photo opportunities. William's undeniable good looks win over many who might otherwise think it is time for the monarchy to go. In fact, William may be the British monarchy's best hope of surviving.

The young prince is the ultimate product in media marketing. A huge, invisible public relations machine has created the mythical William that few really know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He doesn't let his guard down. He's very careful. If he's going to truly relax, it will be among people he really trusts. He tends to be very, very close to the people he's been close to since he was a young boy.

RODGERS: It is difficult to call an English aristocrat normal, but in some ways, William is. He did have a difficult time as a university freshman and flirted with dropping out. And William is the product of a broken home, in which both his parents battled in an ugly divorce. That puts him in the same league as millions of other 21- year-olds.

Walter Rodgers, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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