UK NEWS

WILLIAM TAKES OVER DIANA'S CANCER CHARITY

Saturday May 5,2007

By Richard Palmer, Royal Correspondent

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PRINCE WILLIAM is to take on responsibility for one of his mother’s favourite charities.

The 24-year-old was yesterday appointed president of the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. He will follow in Princess Diana’s footsteps as she held the role from June 1989 until her death in August 1997.

William plans to visit the hospital regularly and support its renowned cancer treatment and research work.

“The Royal Marsden does an extraordinary job in treating thousands of cancer patients every year,” he said yesterday.

“The standards of care and compassion of its staff are unsurpassed in the world. I am, therefore, delighted and honoured to become president of the Royal Marsden and will do whatever I can to support its innovative and vital work.”

The Prince has already made several trips to the hospital and in December 2005 completed two days of work experience at its children’s unit.

The hospital, founded in 1851, was the first in the world dedicated to cancer treatment and is now the largest cancer centre in Europe.

It will be one of the charities benefiting from the Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium on July 1, to be hosted by William and his brother Harry.

Tessa Green, who chairs the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are honoured that Prince William has agreed to become our president. The Prince has spent many hours with us at the hospital and it is wonderful that he is so committed to helping our fight against cancer.”

Meanwhile, Prince Harry was harangued by a drunken nightclub reveller who told him he hoped he would get killed in Iraq, it emerged yesterday.

The Prince was enjoying one of his last nights out with girlfriend Chelsy Davy when the man lunged at him and swore.

Harry’s bodyguards immediately intervened and the man was promptly removed from the Azteca Latin Lounge in King’s Road, Chelsea.