Britain's Prince William Garnering More and More Royal Attention
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In Britain, the monarchy has long been the focus of attention and debate. One big question is, who should be the next king of England? A poll by "The Sunday Express" newspaper shows that Britons are divided over the question. Forty- four percent of respondents say they want Prince Charles to be the next king. After all, he's in the next line to the throne. But another 44 percent say the prince should step aside and let his son, Prince William, take over the job from Queen Elizabeth. As of now, there are no indications of any changes in the monarchy. Besides, Prince William likely has a more pressing matter on his mind right now, his birthday. The prince turns 18 on Wednesday. In anticipation of the media interest, the family has allowed these pictures to be released. They show some of the activities from his daily life, and some say the prince hopes the release of the pictures will allow him to have some degree of peace in the days leading up to his birthday. Any peace the prince experiences may be short lived, though. Many royal watchers believe the world's interest in him likely will increase now that he's entering adulthood. Some say he could become the source of intense media interest like his mother, Princess Diana. Royal commentator Richard Mineards joins us now to talk more about what's ahead for the prince. Good morning, Richard.</s>RICHARD MINEARDS, ROYAL COMMENTATOR: Good morning.</s>PHILLIPS: Now, I think this is interesting. We should point this out to why this is such a big issue right now, and that is, prior to age of 18, William and his brother have been protected by this press code of practice. Could you just briefly tell us about that a little bit?</s>MINEARDS: Yes, for the last five years, there's been a tacit agreement with the media, particularly the British press, that they'd have a hands-off policy on William and Harry while they're schooled at Eton College. But of course, William is about to leave the protection of the college and go on a year-long trip around the world, to go to the countries that his grandma, the Queen Elizabeth, is monarch of, and basically see the people. So now, of course, it's going to be a mad free-for-all with the paparazzi, not so much the British media but particularly the freelancers of foreign countries around the world. And William is now going to be under the global magnifying glass without any protection whatsoever from it.</s>PHILLIPS: Now, Richard, do you think he's ready? Because he's always been so shy and very timid from cameras.</s>MINEARDS: Well, certainly William is being thrown in at the deep end, but I think he's more than capable of dealing with it. Certainly he knows how to deal with the press to some extent. I don't know how he'll deal with this insatiable appetite of the paparazzi in the years to come, but I think he's more than able to do so, because obviously he dealt with his mother's death three years ago extremely well, and I think, given his recent interview in connection with his 18th birthday on Wednesday, he's more than ready, and certainly able to deal with the media and the press.</s>PHILLIPS: Now, he feels the media is to blame for -- the media are to blame for his mother's death, that's correct?</s>MINEARDS: Well, I think he obviously thinks that the media is in some way to do with it. But, of course, I think he's realized since then that there have been a number of other factors in this. And, of course, he's quite willing to deal with the press now because he realizes that the focal point is on him, and of course with the keystone for the Windsors for the next few decades, because without him in the picture, I really do think that the royal family of Britain would be a goner.</s>PHILLIPS: Do you think the royal family is more savvy now with regard to handling the media since Princess Diana's death?</s>MINEARDS: Undoubtedly. I think they used to have an ostrich with its head in the sand policy. They now have a spin control man, a communications director. They're very much more press savvy, and they have to be as we go into this next century, because without that, we need the press, and they need the press, and so obviously it has to be a meeting of the minds. And I think it's become that.</s>PHILLIPS: Facing the press, one issue. William also is going to have to -- or deal, rather, with the declining popularity of the British monarchy. Do you think he's ready for that?</s>MINEARDS: Well, undoubtedly. I -- as I said earlier, I do think he's now the focal point, the keystone for the Windsor dynasty as we go into this century, because not only is he obviously much loved by those people who are avowed monarchists, but because of his age, 18, he's also much loved by the younger constituents, who are going to be the supporters of the monarchy in decades to come. He's been imbued with his mother's good looks, the blue eyes, the blond hair, not the big ears that his father's got, and I do think that obviously adds to this aura around him. And he's become an icon already, and I think that can only stand the royal family in good stead for the future.</s>PHILLIPS: Richard, how is he going to be protected? Will he have an entourage?</s>MINEARDS: Well, he won't -- he doesn't have an entourage like American presidents or vice president. Basically he has one or two detectives. I was down at Eton College about two years ago. He basically had one detective. It was very much a hands-off policy, because they're very much in the background. But certainly they're ready to react if there is any problem. And I think this is obviously going to be something they're going to have to deal with it, particularly in the next year, when he becomes more of a public figure, traveling the world. And certainly obviously security precautions will be put into place. But it's not going to be like the myriad Secret Service men we have here in America.</s>PHILLIPS: Richard, I was reading here that "The Sun," the biggest-selling daily in Britain, came out and said that they will play fair and cover only real news with regard to William. Do you believe this?</s>MINEARDS: Well, I think particularly with the British media, they're obviously mindful of the Diana scenario three years ago. My concern, though, is with the global press, those people not affiliated with the British press, particularly the paparazzi in Europe, the French, the Italian, the German, and also in the Antipodes, New Zealand, Australia, because I don't think there is that much respect. And, of course, this is going to be a big money-earner for them. Those off-key snaps, maybe William in his Speedos, William with his latest girlfriend, those are going to be big money-earners. And cash is the name of the game, sadly.</s>PHILLIPS: He's definitely a hot bachelor, isn't that true?</s>MINEARDS: Without doubt, it's going to be wall-to-wall William from now on.</s>PHILLIPS: Richard Mineards, always a pleasure. Thanks for being with us.</s>MINEARDS: My pleasure.