THE Prince of Wales is watching events within his close family play out while still believing he will become King William V one day.

William has dismissed claims the Andrew scandal could spell the end of the British monarchy as ‘piffle’ on the grounds that he personally is great and everybody loves him.

He said: “It’s always a painful moment when the scales fall from a child’s eyes and he realises his father is not fit to be king. I was 11 when it happened to me.

“But while what’s happening is disappointing, you can already see the difference with the way I dealt with my brother. Decisive. Violent. Nipping trouble in the bud with a nice quick exiling to the New World.

“When I’m on the throne and the Royal family is reduced to a solid core of me, my wife and my kids, it’ll hit new levels of popularity. Instead, they’ll be saying ‘Is democratic government really necessary when we have such a wise, handsome king?’

“Is there such a thing as destiny? Yes. And my blood courses with it. Best case scenario is Dad abdicates and I ascend with time to get a couple of jubilees under the Coronation Sword Belt.”

Prince George of Wales, the heir apparent, said: “Such bad luck for Britain with dad and granddad. Two duds in a row! Still, good things come to subjects who wait.”