Student prince misses freshers fun

Prince William is to travel north on Friday

Prince William is to join his father on a series of engagements in Scotland on Friday before heading for St Andrews to begin his university career.

A spokeswoman for the 19-year-old royal said the prince had decided he would not be attending Freshers' Week events at the Fife university.

Prince Charles, the Duke of Rothesay, will accompany his son on a day of visits in Paisley, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

One of their stops will be in the troubled Sighthill area of Glasgow, the scene of recent tensions over asylum seekers.

The prince will study art history

A range of themes will be covered during the day, including Scotland's architectural heritage, projects by the Prince's Trust charity for young people and the opening of a new national dance centre in Edinburgh, said St James's Palace.

Freshers' Week at St Andrews University starts on Tuesday with a series of fairs and talks designed to give new students a chance to get to know their way around before term officially starts next Monday.

A spokeswoman added that it had never been the intention for William to attend Freshers' Week.

"It was his own personal decision," she said.

Prince's Trust

Instead the prince will accompany his father on Friday's visit to Anchor Mills in Paisley, a former mill that has been derelict for more than 20 years.

During their visit, Charles's Phoenix Trust will announce a programme to refurbish the building.

Sighthill in Glasgow will be the next stop, with the two princes meeting members of the local community and viewing some of the work of the Prince's Trust.

The troubled Sighthill area houses more than 1,000 asylum seekers in high rise flats.

Later, Charles and William will view more of the work of the Prince's Trust at the Lighthouse in central Glasgow, where they will see something of projects undertaken with young offenders and a drugs awareness programme operating in local schools.

Ancient Scottish town

Afterwards, Charles will go on without his son to visit Western General Hospital in Edinburgh to open an extension, the Anne Ferguson Building, which will house five operating theatres, 200 beds and a major outpatient department.

The day will end with a celebration of performing arts at Dancebase, Scotland's new national dance centre, of which Charles is patron.

Both princes will be there to open Dancebase's new studios in the Grassmarket area of Edinburgh.

The arrival of the student prince, who will take a four-year History of Art MA (Honours) course, has caused much excitement in the ancient Scottish town of St Andrews.

Special arrangements

Applications to the university have increased by 44% since it emerged the prince would be studying in Fife and even the traditionally difficult to fill courses are over-subscribed.

The prince decided on St Andrews University after receiving three A-level passes in Summer 2000.

He has spent a gap year involved in various projects around the world.

The university said it is keeping special arrangements for the prince's arrival to a minimum.

Applications to the university have increased by 44%

While security has been stepped up, admissions director, Stephen Magee, said: "We haven't moved any departments to accommodate any individual or any group of individuals.

"In the main life will continue as normally as we can possibly arrange."

Contrary to reports, students at St Andrews have not been banned from speaking to the media.

Dana Green, President of the Students' Association, said: "Students in any year who give out confidential information about their fellow students would be in trouble and that's things like marks and your personal details, not things like your opinion on the way the year is going.

"There's been a bit of scaremongering and fuss about this but it's not really the case."