James, Earl of Wessex, is embarking on a whole new chapter as he begins his undergraduate life at Royal Agricultural University to study Rural Land & Property Management. The 18-year-old will leave the luxury of Bagshot Park behind, and call university halls his home. The institution, which is set in Cirencester, is set to undergo a mammoth new project, which will be a UK first.
The Cotswold District Council's Planning Committee have given the green light to plans for an 'Innovation Village' which is a 12 hectare site on campus including things like a business park, office space and academy, all dedicated to agricultural innovation and sustainable land use.
© UK Press via Getty ImagesNo dates have been released for the commencement of this development as the university is seeking investors.
Foregoing a gap year
© Pool/Tim Graham Picture LibraryJames has decided to skip a traditional gap year and head straight to university after his A-levels. The likes of Prince William and Princess Kate did choose to have a year off before starting their studies. However, James' sister, Lady Louise Windsor is only having a gap year now, after completing her undergraduate degree.
In an official statement confirming the news, Buckingham Palace shared: "Having achieved the grades he needed, The Earl of Wessex will be going to the Royal Agricultural University to study Rural Land & Property Management. He will head straight there without taking a year out."
The focused degree path sets James up for a practical future in estate management, rural business, and consultancy, with top industry firms like Savills, Strutt & Parker, and Fisher German regularly recruiting from the university's graduate pool.
Cirencester living
© GettyHELLO!'s Deputy Beauty and Lifestyle Editor, Melanie Macleod, grew up in Cirencester, where the university is located and she's shared her views about how James will fit right into the "upmarket vibe". She commented: "While many of us would have loved to live in a royal mansion during our university years, it's understandable that James wants to spread his wings and move into student accommodation, and where better for him to do that than in Cirencester?
"The town has the same upmarket vibe he'll be used to in Surrey, with the added bonus of Cotswold charm. Plus, if his student digs get a bit too grimy (even royals aren't immune to letting cleaning slide, I'm sure), he's only a 20-minute drive from King Charles' Highgrove home, so he can easily visit his uncle."
