Prince William turned 25 on Thursday and gained part of the inheritance
left by his mother, Princess Diana.
William, who is second in line
to the throne, gains access to the interest and other income accrued on
the $13 million he was left by his mother, who died in a Paris car crash
in 1997.
William's Clarence House office would not say what the prince planned
to do with the money, estimated at $500,000 to $600,000 a year.
Harry, 22, William's brother, will gain access to a similar amount when
he turns 25. According to Diana's will, the brothers gain access to the
capital sum when they turn 30.
William and Harry are both second
lieutenants in the British army, earning salaries of about
$44,000 a year. They also receive money for accommodation and other
expenses from their father, Prince Charles.
Now that he is 25, William also can marry without the consent of his
grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II - but no royal nuptials are on the
horizon. William and his long-term girlfriend, Kate Middleton, announced
in April that they had split.