Prince William: School, University, Graduation from St Andrews June 2005

[Aussie Princess]

Yes I wish I knew some answers to those questions. I would love to see something he's done himself! I know he drew with the kids at the childrens hospital when he visited New Zealand. A lot of members of a royal family are artistic though aren't they?

[CasiraghiTrio]

I really wonder who his favorite artist is, though. If he even has one. And does he prefer realist art or abstract art, or watercolors like his father, or impressionist art maybe. And is their one ancestor he likes in particular?
He so much resembles King George III!!!!!!!!! Of course we can bet he doesn't resemble the old Mad King in terms of the latter's adled brains! For whatever faults William has, he does seem to possess all his mental faculties, a full deck, you might say!

[Aussie Princess]

Well I sure hope so!

[CasiraghiTrio]

Originally Posted by Aussie Princess

Well I sure hope so!

me too, for the sake of the future of the British monarchy, indeed, yes!
Though it seems that William does have his moments of questionable sanity, as anyone might, I suppose. that "road rage" incident was pretty alarming. still, these things do seem to be isolated and few and far between. Considering his Saxon ancestry on the Windsor side and his rather colorful
Spencer heritage, to say nothing of the humiliations he endured during the "Charles and Di" fiasco years, I'd say William is pretty balanced! How he came out all those things fairly clean I have no idea. Wonders never cease.

[Harry's polo shirt]

William isn't artistic. He said that Harry is the artistic one. William and Harry are like night and day. Harry seems to be into more abstact art, so William may enjoy realism more. Will will not answer the questions so we have to piece together the information that we know. Will majored in art history, and watercolors, do have an interesting background, but it is not so complex that watercolors would inspire him to study art history. In my opinion, Will is more interested in historical events and there effect on art. With Wills interest in geography he may also have combound cultural effects and location with art history, Giving him a much wider range of art.

[CasiraghiTrio]

Originally Posted by Harry's polo shirt

William isn't artistic. He said that Harry is the artistic one. William and Harry are like night and day. Harry seems to be into more abstact art, so William may enjoy realism more. Will will not answer the questions so we have to piece together the information that we know. Will majored in art history, and watercolors, do have an interesting background, but it is not so complex that watercolors would inspire him to study art history. In my opinion, Will is more interested in historical events and there effect on art. With Wills interest in geography he may also have combound cultural effects and location with art history, Giving him a much wider range of art.

So you are saying that you think his interest lies more in historical changes and influences on art, or how art has influenced or perhaps changed events or people in history, rather than the art itself?
I don't agree Will and Harry are "night and day" exactly. I agree they have differences, but I think and have always thought they have many commonalities as well, so the "night and day" theory might be a bit extreme. I think it is possible, though, to agree with you in the assessment of Harry being more into abstract art, as we saw with that painting in the Eton pics. As I recall, the few examples ever shown of Will's art were watercolors and were landscapes, so this is obviously very different of style of art from what Harry seems to like.

[Harry's polo shirt]

I think Will is interested in how history in different cultures and locations effected art. Night and day may be a bit extreme, but their differences are not suttle, they have more differences than similarities. I read somewere (don't remember were, it was along time ago, I am not sure if it was an interview) that Will chose watercolors because they are easier to work with. The landscapes would show Wills interest in geography as well. So I guess it would be safe to say that Will likes landscapes.

[Lady Bluffton]

How many of the British royal family have advanced degrees?

Charles went to Cambridge??? Ditto for Edward?

I always remember criticism that that the entire family was not particularly well formally educated.

[kaydura0717]

Well William went to St. Andrews. Harry didn't go to university. Zara and Peter went to Exeter University.

[chrissy57]

What is an 'advanced' degree? I haven't come across that term before and assume that in Australia we have a different expression to describe it. Once I know what you mean by that term I may be able to answer your question.

This is one of those occasions where are different uses of this great language show us the variety of use of words and terms and help make us better able to understand each other.

[crisiñaki]

I think what Lady Bluffton wants to say is that nowadays almost all princes/ss (whether they are heirs or not) have advanced degrees like masters and stuff and there isn't anyone at the BRF like that (as far as I know no one of the Queen's children has a master's degree and Andrew and Anne didn't even go to uni in the first place , am I wrong?)
Maybe it has to do with the desertion level in Britain, I'm not trying to be rude, I live in England and I really love the country but in these times young people are dropping out school or even not going to university in the first place; I went to undergrad school (university) here (Oxford), we were 50 and 32 of us weren't english (it's the same in other schools not only Oxford or Cambridge) and now in my master's group we are 10 and there isn't any english person so I don't know; it's quite a shame, because the education here at uni level is incredibly good...

[chrissy57]

So what she is calling an 'advanced degree' we would call an 'higher degree'?

Thanks for clearing that up.

I believe that Charles, Edward and William all have what we in Australia call an Honours degree - certainly being described as a 2:1 or 2:2 would suggest that. To do that in Australia requires an extra year of study after achieving a Bachelors degree. Masters degrees can be done from either a basic Bachelors or from an Honours degree. Top candidates can even go from an Honours degree straight to a Ph.D.

[Lizy]

I believe that Charles, Edward and William all have what we in Australia call an Honours degree - certainly being described as a 2:1 or 2:2 would suggest that.

It's called the same in the UK too although there are differences between England and Scotland. In England a degree is 3 years long and would normally be called a Bachelors degree whilst in Scotland it is 4 years normally and would be called a Masters. Both you can get with honours. William was at uni for 4 years so got a masters degree with honours.

[chrissy57]

Originally Posted by Lizy

I believe that Charles, Edward and William all have what we in Australia call an Honours degree - certainly being described as a 2:1 or 2:2 would suggest that.

It's called the same in the UK too although there are differences between England and Scotland. In England a degree is 3 years long and would normally be called a Bachelors degree whilst in Scotland it is 4 years normally and would be called a Masters. Both you can get with honours. William was at uni for 4 years so got a masters degree with honours.

Whereas in Australia he would only have a Bachelors with Honours after 4 years and have to do another year or two for a Masters.

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

[Elspeth]

In most English universities a three-year course leads to a bachelor's degree, and students have to do postgraduate study for one or two more years - either advanced coursework or original research or a combination - to get a master's degree. I think Oxford and Cambridge MA degrees are awarded pretty much automatically a few years after the bachelor's degree, without the student having to do any more work.

So seeing MA (Oxon) or MA (Cantab) after a person's name doesn't necessarily mean they've done any advanced research or study, it just means they got their regular degrees from those universities a few years earlier.

In other words, since Prince Charles graduated from Cambridge, he's probably got a Master of Arts degree but it didn't take any extra work to get it.

[Harry's polo shirt]

Were they all in Extra-curricular activities... Like sports. We all know about polo, and rugby. What awards did they get?

[Lady Bluffton]

In my lingo, by "advanced" I mean beyond high school -- college, university, master's, doctorate, etc.

In other words, who is a stellar scholar / brain?

[Diogenes]

Originally Posted by crisiñaki

Maybe it has to do with the desertion level in Britain, I'm not trying to be rude, I live in England and I really love the country but in these times young people are dropping out school or even not going to university in the first place; I went to undergrad school (university) here (Oxford), we were 50 and 32 of us weren't english (it's the same in other schools not only Oxford or Cambridge) and now in my master's group we are 10 and there isn't any english person so I don't know; it's quite a shame, because the education here at uni level is incredibly good...

It is a sad state of affairs, just as you describe it. It has a lot to do with universities having to operate as businesses and be funded for 'bums on seats'. Subsequently, standards drop and education is not respected.
Oxford, Cambridge, Durham and a few others have maintained high standards in spite of this. Cambridge and Oxford undergrad degrees can indeed be converted to Masters after a few years but, in comparison to other universities, they are Masters level anyway!
In the case of the few royals who went to Cambridge, I don't believe for a moment that their degrees were 'honorary' and not deserved. They were probably helped and coached, but in an exam you are on your own!

[chrissy57]

I have read in the last day or so that Charles BA was upgraded to an MA in 1975.

[grevinnan]

In the US an "advanced" degree refers to post baccalaureate degree; i.e. masters and doctors.