PRINCE WILLIAM TAKES THE PLUNGE

Television cameras . . . a capacity all-ticket crowd . . . hundreds more people waiting outside . . . police everywhere . . .

And all for a water polo match in the UK!

It happened in Cardiff when, of course, Prince William, who learned the basics of the game while a pupil at Eton, made his much-heralded international sporting debut for Scottish Universities in the Celtic Nations tournament.

The Prince may not have been a “first seven” member of the Scottish team but, once in the action, he certainly looked the part. He clearly enjoyed mixing it against Ireland and the likes of Wales’s Mark “Chubba” Taylor, Chris Taylor and Charlie Hinder, who play respectively for National League sides Cheltenham, Welsh Wanderers and Newton Abbot.

It’s great to know that water polo is the sport of (future) kings.

What we wait to learn is whether William has ambitions to develop his skills and maybe even sign on for a National League club in the future. A useful recruit perhaps for next season’s Division Three newcomers Portobello?

Seriously, it’s not all fun being a royal. The poor bloke got a raw deal from The Sun newspaper, who, under the banner headline “Heir Bare Bunch”, described how the 6ft 3ins Prince “showed off his superb body in skimpy swimmies” and even suggested “the funny bathing cap and chin strap didn’t do him any favours.”

Welsh team member Oliver Newcombe was quoted as saying: “Water polo is very rough. Shorts are pulled down and genitalia grabbed. But we promised not to do that to William.” Did you really say that Ollie?

Wales narrowly beat Ireland to claim the men’s title, with Scotland taking third place.