Tight security for princess' first day
I finally found the article about Princess Eugenie first day at Marlborough College.
Tight security for princess' first day
From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Thursday 4th Sep 2003.
A MASSIVE security operation swung into place when Princess Eugenie, granddaughter of the Queen and sixth in line to the throne, began life at Marlborough College on Tuesday.
The 13-year-old former pupil of St George's School in Windsor is the first ever member of the monarchy to attend the college.
By deciding to send her to the £20,000 a year Marlborough public school her parents, the Duke and Duchess of York, have set her in the footsteps of worthies including former Poet laureate John Betjeman and her own uncle, Capt Mark Phillips.
Capt Phillips was a student at Marlborough in the late Sixties and subsequently went on to marry and later divorce Princess Eugenie's aunt, Princess Anne.
At one time it was intended that Peter Phillips, the son of Princess Anne and Capt Phillips, would attend Marlborough College, but his parents changed their minds.
College authorities must be hoping that the young princess, the younger daughter of the Duke of York and his wife Sarah Ferguson, is not given a cruel nickname like her uncle Mark.
His contemporaries dubbed him Foggy Phillips and the more unkind observers said this was because he was "thick and wet".
The sons and daughters of many distinguished world leaders and international celebrities have passed through the portals of Marlborough College.
The sons of the church emissary Terry Waite were at the school during some of the five years he was incarcerated in the Middle East.
A more recent pupil was the daughter of Gordon Sumner, better known as Sting, one of the country's richest pop stars who lives near Salisbury.
In earlier times the school might have invited the press along to see its new royal pupil arrive.
However the current Master, Edward Gould, who is due to retire next July, has issued a "no media" edict following a series of headline revelations in recent years about alleged drugs and sex scandals, some involving pupils and some involving staff.
Reporters were told to stay away from college events like the recent opening of the new Henry Hony theatre block and earlier this year the official opening by Olympic swimming star Sharron Davies of the school's new swimming pool.
However in a small town like Marlborough it is impossible to conceal that the famous public school's latest newcomer is the Queen's granddaughter.
College insiders have revealed that Princess Eugenie has rooms in the relatively new Millmead House that can be seen from Granham Hill in the water meadows between the River Kennet and C House, the former Castle Inn built at the start of the 18th century by the Duke of Somerset.
The princess, who has been enrolled under the name of Eugenie York, has a bedroom and a study, both of which have been specially fitted out with panic buttons so that she can summon her personal protection officers who have rooms next door.
It is understood she will be accompanied at all times, even to lessons, by a member of the royal protection team although in the first few days as she settles in, her protection is being organised by the Wiltshire Constabulary.
There was a large presence of local police officers when Princess Eugenie arrived and a mobile CCTV police van was on hand to record all visitor movements.
While the princess was shown to her rooms her parents were invited to tea with the master in the Master's Lodge.
While she may be the first ever member of the British monarchy to attend Marlborough College she is not the first to live in the town.
That distinction goes to her ancestors who stayed at the former Marlborough Castle, which belonged to the kings of England for 500 years.
The castle was built in the 11th century and stood in the grounds of what is now the world famous public school.
The mound on which the wooden keep stood can still be seen behind the school chapel.
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© Newsquest Media Group 2003
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