Prince William is seeking his own personal press secretary. The prestigious appointment begins next year, suggesting that a major “change of use” is set to occur.

Until now William has relied on his father’s press office for spin-doctoring services, but clearly wishes to branch out on his own once he finishes his stint with the Armed Forces. With Prince Charles’s expensive media machine already in situ it’s hard to see why William would need his own office if he were planning to remain at Clarence House next year. The proposed appointment indicates he is planning to set up a home of his own.

The new press officer will cover the Prince’s day-to-day engagements and field questions about his private life. The successful candidate will need to be a top professional with knowledge of Royal affairs and a sensitivity to the political landscape. He or she could expect to receive a handsome remuneration package along the lines of Prince Charles’s arrangements and may even be paid by the Duchy of Cornwall.

With William’s Army career ending in January, it’s doubtful whether SAS officer Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton will continue in his job as his Private Secretary. By some accounts his main role has been keeping the exuberant Prince Harry out of trouble, while facilitating William’s workflow in the military. He may, of course, stay on as Prince Harry’s fixer and troubleshooter.

It looks as if 2009 will be a watershed for the second-in-line to the Throne. The same may be said of Kate Middleton. Even with more time on his hands, it’s unlikely William would set up a new household without Kate. It would inevitably lead to speculation that they had split up again.

The new look for William’s life has all the feel of a well thought-through plan organized by the military — as the best Royal events are.

A newly-independent Prince William, together with Kate, will cut quite a dash on the public scene.

Prince William is known to enjoy riding his powerful motorbike at high speeds — much to the dismay of his protection officers. God forbid, but what if the worst happened?

At some stage in the future we could then expect King Henry IX (Prince Harry) to ascend the Throne, together with (more speculation) his Queen Chelsy.

How would they fare in a job neither expects to get, and for which Harry has not been trained for life?

Let’s assess Harry’s qualities. Apart from a wild streak and a love of nightclubs, Harry has some excellent achievements behind him. He has withstood the ancient tortures of Eton, plus the hard physical and mental tests of Sandhurst, to become an officer of the Queen in the Blues and Royals Regiment. He is also a fine polo player and horse rider.

One side of him that’s not often aired amid the tumult of his nights on the town, is his dedication to charity work — something he wants to concentrate on when, as expected, he leaves the Army early, after a two or three year stint.

Harry recently took on his first Royal patronages. He will be figurehead for three small charities, a move agreed after consultations with Prince William and Private Secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton.

The charities are :

WellChild — which provides medical care and home help for chronically sick children.

MapAction — which helps aid agencies by co-ordinating disaster information on the ground during emergencies. Harry’s Army skills will be brought to bear here as early as next year — a sign perhaps of when he will depart his military duties.

Dolen Cymru — or The Wales Lesotho Link which supports ties between the two countries. Harry also has his own charity in Lesotho.

Prince Harry seems to have got his life organized very well, with his future mapped out for the years ahead.

How, though, would he fare as King Henry IX, if that destiny ever befell him?

There’s nothing on the Sisterhood’s website (sisterhoodchallenge.com) as I write, but Richard Kay is breaking the story that Clarence House has at last intervened and put an end to Kate Middleton’s brief cross-Channel rowing career with the all-women team of adventurers.

I can reveal she has abruptly dropped out, leaving her fellow amateur rowers high and dry. Officially her decision was taken because of security fears that her high-profile presence might jeopardise the safety of the other girls. But I understand she was ordered to drop out by Royal aides who fear Kate’s continued role was in danger of becoming a major media event.

Despite support from Prince William, Kate has been strongly advised by senior courtiers (presumably Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, aide to both William and Harry) that her presence in the cross-Channel boat race on August 25 would not only turn it into a media circus, but also endanger her fellow rowers.

Sensibly, Kate has complied, although reportedly deeply upset at having to let down her friends.

I fear this was inevitable given the views of the Coastguard (see below) and the security issues surrounding Kate. This news certainly answers those who still refuse to believe William and Kate are back together again.

Why was this prohibition necessary? Royal Anecdotes has warned previously that crossing the English Channel in a flimsy dragon boat is not a voyage for the fainthearted — and could end in disaster. The British Maritime and Coastguard Agency has said attempting to cross the Channel in a fibreglass boat designed for use on lakes and rivers is “highly irresponsible”.

Mike Toogood, spokesman for the Coastguard said: “This is the most dangerous shipping lane in the world. We have 500 vessels making this crossing every single day. You can’t just turn up and set off. You need permission. Not getting this will put lives in real danger — not just theirs, but everyone in the Channel that day. Also, a dragon boat has a flat bottom so it tends to go through the waves rather than over them, meaning their craft could quickly become swamped with water.”

And they may not even get permission for “an unorthodox crossing” from the Coastguard.

Now if they just switched the venue to the Serpentine in Hyde Park, or even Lake Windermere in Cumbria, we could all go along and watch — and Kate could show her paces free of Palace complaint.

The Serpentine, Hyde Park, London

Clarence House appears to be damping down Saturday’s story of a rekindling of the romance between Prince William and Kate Middleton. On Sunday, a “source close to William” is reported as saying that rumours of romance are wide of the mark and he was far from ready to commit again.

Given the enthusiastic quotes from “sources” close to both parties on Saturday, it would seem we’re into a Battle of the Sources.

If the “source close to the Prince” is William’s equerry and aide Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, these are clearly William’s own views. However, this is a dangerous game to play. The public were fed up with the merry-go-round of unrebutted engagement stories that swirled around over Christmas and New Year. A repeat performance is almost certainly not in the best interests of either party.

If these two are back together, it has a clear path — marriage. If they are not, why then are they acting like love-sick teenagers?

Maybe William should hire Alastair Campbell as his publicist — for the sake of Kate’s reputation, if not his own.