When William flew the nest: The Prince of Wales started at university 23 years ago today - after enduring photo op and meeting royal fans at St Andrews

Every September, thousands of young adults battalion up their astir treasured possessions and embark connected their adjacent step: university. 

Twenty-three years agone today, it was Prince William's move to do conscionable that connected his first time astatine St Andrews successful Scotland.

The Palace had struck a woody pinch nan media to springiness William privateness while he was studying, speech from agreed photograph opportunities. 

One of those occasions was his presence for nan commencement of word pinch his begetter King Charles, past nan Prince of Wales. 

William's student life began pinch a flimsy mishap - Charles, who was driving, missed nan university's entranceway astatine first and had to reverse successful beforehand of nan 5,000 onlookers, nan Daily Mail reported astatine nan time. 

Whilst Charles was dressed successful a blazer, chinos and garment and tie, William chose an understated jumper and garment combo, which he paired pinch jeans. 

Before disappearing disconnected to nan comparative privateness of assemblage life, he took nan clip to chat pinch immoderate of nan royal fans who had flocked to spot him.

William originally enrolled to study creation history and nan people fees - £1,075 per word - were paid for by Charles for 'the first twelvemonth astatine least,' nan Mail reported, contempt William's connection to screen them himself.

His student accommodation consisted of a mini room successful St Salvator's Hall - a lodging artifact nicknamed 'Sallies' by students - and he brought bedding, a tv and a stereo to kit it out. 

William had specifically requested a room without an en-suite truthful he could get nan afloat student acquisition of queuing for nan communal showers. 

He had been offered a spot to enactment astatine nan residence of main Dr Brian Lang but turned it down. 

Charles' proposal of renting a backstage location was besides declined. 

Instead, a adjacent room was reserved for a constabulary bodyguard who had a bath particularly installed.

William was very alert of his effect connected people, however, and was keen to make genuine friends. 

The young prince said successful an question and reply astir nan time: 'People who effort to return advantage of maine and a get a portion of me, I spot it quickly and soon spell disconnected them.'

He added: 'I conscionable dream I tin meet group I get connected with. I don't attraction astir their background.'

However, William's first word astatine St Andrews sewage disconnected to a rocky start. 

He returned location to Highgrove for Christmas and had spent astir of his weekends during word clip location aliases successful London. 

According to royal master Robert Lacey successful his 2020 book Battle of Brothers, William expressed doubts to his begetter during nan holidays complete his prime of people and institution and told him really he wanted to move,

His grandfather, Prince Philip, is said to person responded: 'William needs to knuckle down and not wimp out.'

He recovered life successful nan mini Scottish municipality to beryllium quiet, pinch nan item of his week being shopping astatine Tesco and playing athletics connected a Wednesday.

Kensington Palace and St Andrews managed to resoluteness nan rumor by liaising pinch 1 different and agreed for William to move courses to Geography.  

Charles spent nan Christmas vacation having a heartfelt chat pinch William, who yet decided against moving away. 

William later said he felt he was 'daunted' alternatively than homesick.

He said astatine nan time: 'My begetter was very knowing astir it and realised I had nan aforesaid problem he had astir apt had.

'We chatted a lot, and successful nan extremity we some realised - I decidedly realised - that I had to travel back.

'I deliberation it was nan caller surroundings. When I was pinch Raleigh International successful Chile during my spread year, it was nan aforesaid benignant of thing. You're thrown into wholly caller territory.

'I don't deliberation I was homesick. I was much daunted.'

The determination paid off, arsenic it was astatine St Andrews that William met and fell successful emotion pinch Kate Middleton. 

It was astatine a kindness manner show successful St Andrews wherever William exclaimed, 'wow! Kate's hot', arsenic his early woman walked down nan catwalk successful a see-through dress.