Former University of St Andrews principal Dr Brian Lang has revealed how the institution negotiated a deal with the British press to protect Prince William's privacy during his studies. Speaking exclusively to HELLO!, Dr Lang explained that the agreement allowed the future king to enjoy a normal student experience in exchange for limited photo opportunities.
Dr Lang, who served as principal and vice chancellor during William's time at the university, said the arrangement was facilitated by Andrew Neil, then Lord Rector of the university. 'Andrew Neil, being a very experienced newspaper man, helped us negotiate a deal with the British press, whereupon they would leave William alone in return for a photo opportunity once a semester,' Dr Lang said. 'And on the whole, that worked.'
The principal also emphasised that privacy warnings were issued to the entire student body, not just regarding William. 'I made it quite clear to the students by doing an interview to the student newspaper, in which I made it quite clear that we would take a very, very dim view of any inappropriate information being passed on,' he said. 'Not just about William, but about any other student.'
Dr Lang noted that students were reportedly offered up to £3,000 by overseas newspapers for stories about William, but none of these offers were accepted. 'Now that's a lot for an undergraduate,' he said. 'The story also is that none of these offers were accepted. I don't know whether that's true, but it shows the excellent behaviour of the students during that period.'
Helen Davies, editor of the 2024 Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, added that the location of St Andrews in Scotland helped protect the couple's privacy. 'Going to a campus university in the centre of London might have been quite tricky. But somewhere in Scotland, slightly further away from the limelight that is much harder to get to… It's located almost out on a limb,' she told HELLO!.
