Prince William No 'ornament'

23 September 2009

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Britain's Prince William doesn't want to be "a royal ornament".

The prince - who is second in line to the throne - insists he wants to take a hands-on role with his charity work, learning from the example set by his parents Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

Speaking at a forum at St. James' Palace, William said "there is a place for shaking hands" at official events but claimed he wants to be "more involved, rather than just turning up and opening things."

He added: "What I try to do is take the best bits of my mother's charitable work and the best bits of my father's charitable work and do them both together.

Even if it changes only one person's view then it has been a success. I hope to get people to see something in themselves they have never seen before.

"I'm not in their league, but I'm warming up, hopefully, and I'm trying to do what I can."

The 27-year-old prince also said he was influenced by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.

He said: "How she's gone about things and how she cares about areas of life and people is particularly important."

William - who climbed Helvellyn, England's third highest mountain, with a group from Centrepoint and Mountain Rescue in July - admitted getting involved in some projects was "a gamble".

He added: "Even if it changes only one person's view then it has been a success. I hope to get people to see something in themselves they have never seen before."

As well as Centrepoint, a charity for homeless people, and Mountain Rescue, William and his brother Prince Harry support a wide range of organisations, including the Welsh Rugby Union and the Henry van Straubenzee Memorial Fund, which is building state primary schools in Uganda.

The princes are also rumoured to have set up a foundation to enable their various causes to work together.

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