Duke and Duchess of Cambridge dine with St Andrews students

This evening, St Andrews’ Royal Patron, the Duke of Cambridge, attended a charity event at Middle Temple Hall in support of the 600th Anniversary Campaign. The Duke aimed to raise money for St Andrews’ endowment so that scholarships can be made available to students from underprivileged backgrounds.

Speaking this evening to a hall-full of dignitaries, philanthropists and students, The Duke of Cambridge said,

“The 600th Anniversary campaign is about helping our University to bestow those gifts on generations to come. With your support we can make sure that every child is born into a conditional offer from the world’s best university, regardless of circumstance. Tonight we are celebrating the red gowns of St Andrews not only as a symbol of 600 years of history, but as a symbolic invitation to every bright mind of the future to aspire to St Andrews.”

Joking about his public speaking skills he added that a friend from St Andrews “rang me today to say he’d pay good money for me not to speak!”

Also in attendance were The Duchess of Cambridge, Sir Menzies Campbell, Chancellor of St Andrews and Professor Louise Richardson, Principal of St Andrews.

Professor Richardson spoke from personal experience about the necessity of having scholarships, which make a world-class education available to all:

“I was able to put myself through university by working every holiday and two jobs in term time, as a cocktail waitress at night, and shelving books in the library before it opened in the morning. When it came to graduate school, there was no way I could afford it. It was only because generous people had established scholarships for which I could compete that I could get a Masters and PhD.”

“We want the brightest, most committed students, whether they are from Katmandu or Kirkcaldy, whether they are roofers or royals, to have that experience. With your help we can make that a reality.”

In an effort to get his guests to loosen purse-strings, the Duke invited two of St Andrews’ finest (and most charming) scholars to speak. Both 4th year Classicist, Pamela Forbes, and 3rd year Theoretical Physicist and Maths student, Kirstofer Drummond, have benefited from scholarships to St Andrews.

Kristofer spoke about how important scholarships have always been in St Andrews and in particular, how different History would be without them. Nobel Prize winner (and St Andrews alumni) Sir James Black’s scholarship was especially invaluable:

“He would never have graduated with his bachelor’s degree and gone on to do a PhD, meaning he would have never gone on to develop Beta Blockers, the drug which he achieved the Nobel Prize for. I myself use a specific strand of beta blocker to help control a tremor I have, which, without them, gets very erratic under slightly stressful situations (such as presenting a speech to an audience). This is how important a scholarship could be.”

Pamela is Vice-Principal Ambassador (those people that give tours to prospective students) and not only benefits from her own scholarship, but helps raise money for future ones: “I help organise and run school projects in the local area – including the one I had taken part in when I was at school.”

“I know how important these donations can be in allowing great people to attend St Andrews.”

After inspiring stories, guests were invited to dine and make bids for various auction prizes. These included an “Ultimate Safari Adventure”, a holiday in Nantucket, collector’s whisky, and a private serenade by The Other Guys…

The Other Guys (of Royal Romance fame) also performed this evening. Other Guy and Stand writer, Callum Woolley, told The Stand that the event was “Superb. The dress- slightly see-through. I sustained unbroken eye-contact with Will all night. I think he got the message”.

“It was a fantastic night. It ended with us giving a window serenade to the royal couple and lines of paparazzi as they got into the car. We got a wave from both.”

Images: © Alan Richardson