Prince William, who has recently celebrated his 21st birthday, is related to an old Jersey family on his mother’s side.
If he takes the throne as expected, he will establish a connection between Jersey and the monarchy that could last for generations.The link lies between the Spencer family – linked to William through his late mother, Diana – and the de Carteret family.
In 1734, Lady Georgina Carteret married the Honourable John Spencer, and the couple went to live at Althorp in Northamptonshire.The son of Lady Georgina Carteret and the Honourable John Spencer – also named John – was created the first Earl Spencer in 1765, establishing a family line that runs through to the present Earl, who is Prince William’s uncle.The 21-year-old Prince, who is second in line to the throne, has been in the news recently because his birthday party was gatecrashed by a stand-up comedian and because of an interview he gave to news organisation PA.
National newspapers have respected the privacy of William and Prince Harry (18) since their mother, the former Princess of Wales, was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997.In the interview, his first for some years, he reaffirmed his intention to take the throne.He said: ‘All these questions about do you want to be King? It’s not a question of wanting to be, it’s something I was born into and it’s my duty.’Wanting is not the right word.
But those stories about me not wanting to be King are all wrong.
It’s a very important role and it’s one that I don’t take lightly.’The Prince has never visited the Island in an official capacity, but a spokesman at Buckingham Palace said that they could not confirm whether or not he had made a private visit to Jersey.
The palace could not say whether any visits are planned in the future.Although his ancestral link to Jersey would not entitle him to housing qualifications, Prince William might be able to stay at any one of a number of Crown Properties in the Island.
Although he could apply for 1(i)k status, he would have to demonstrate that there would be some kind of tax benefit to the Island.The link between the Prince and the Island has been celebrated by a souvenir miniature sheet issued by Jersey Post.
They released a stamp on 21 June entitled ‘Jersey – Royal Links’, which shows the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William against a backdrop image of Victoria College.The Queen has visited the Island on five occasions, and Prince Charles took part in a dig near La Cotte at Ouaisné in the sixties while a student at Cambridge.
He is also linked to the Island through his partner Camilla Parker-Bowles, one of whose ancestors was governor of Jersey in the 18th century.
