Happy Birthday, Wills

By Stephen M. Silverman

Wednesday September 02, 1998 12:00 AM EDT

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Prince William is an anticipated no-show at a royal birthday celebration at Windsor Castle tonight. Final exams (he'll be tested on the history of art tomorrow) will keep the world's most eligible bachelor in his Eton dorm room, a scant 10-minute walk from the largest joint royal birthday party in memory, say reports. Not that he won't be receiving much attention. The handsome 6-ft.-2-in. monarch, who bears a strong resemblance to his late mother Princess Diana, is generally considered the best thing that the Royal Family has going for itself. Over the weekend, he made his TV debut, as it were, saying his first recorded utterance in history for a short documentary about him. Asked what it was he was preparing in the kitchen, the Prince responded: "Paella with chicken, rice, garlic and beans." All that, and he can cook, too!

• Tonight's black-tie event at Windsor will formally celebrate the birthdays of the Queen Mother, who turns 100 on Aug. 4; the 70th birthday of Princess Margaret; the 50th of Princess Anne; the 40th of Prince Andrew; as well as William's natal day. Andrew's ex, Sarah Ferguson, is expected to be in attendance -- signaling some kind of thaw between her and Andrew's mother, Queen Elizabeth II -- but Camilla Parker Bowles will not be with Prince Charles, say reports. She was not invited.