Prince William Used a Clever Trick to Lead a Normal Life During His University Days
William's wish to lead a private life has continued even into his adult life.
Prince William’s time at St Andrews University has long captured the attention of royal fans, as it marked the beginning of a defining chapter in his life. It was on this campus that he first met his now-wife, Princess Catherine, in 2001, when they were both students. Their years together at this University became the foundation of their relationship. However, there's another lesser-known detail about William's student life that is now in the spotlight. Reports suggest that he once used a secret fake name while studying at university, allowing him to avoid constant public attention.
As reported by HELLO Magazine, there was an agreement in place between the university and the British press to prevent paparazzi images or intrusive coverage of the then-young royal. Along with this, the prince is said to have adopted the fake name 'Steve' to keep a low profile and manage his student life with greater privacy. What's surprising is that Catherine was also one of his friends who used the nickname for him. During a recent interview, Dr Brian Lang, who served as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of St Andrews during William’s time there, described how the university took serious measures to protect the young royal’s privacy.
Brian explained, “Andrew Neil, the Lord Rector of the university, 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. And on the whole, that worked.” He also said the student body was warned early on that William’s privacy was expected to be respected.
He later added, “We would take a very, very dim view of any inappropriate information being passed on. Not just about William, but about any other student.” Brian also explained that the privacy rules were meant to protect the entire student body and staff, not only Prince William, and said the arrangement largely worked successfully.
Meanwhile, William's wish for privacy has continued into his adult life, as evidenced by his long-standing efforts to protect his wife and children from unwanted public attention. As reported by the Daily Express, royal correspondent Jennie Bond once said, "[William] is much more a protective husband and dad than a King in waiting." She added, "He is almost obsessive about guarding his family's privacy. Despite their choices, the Prince and Princess of Wales' public standing hasn't been impacted at all.
