Howard rules out Prince William as Australias future Governor-General

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has ruled out Prince William as a future governor-general of his country, saying only a permanent citizen would be acceptable.

Sydney, June 29 : Australian Prime Minister John Howard has ruled out Prince William as a future governor-general of his country, saying only a permanent citizen would be acceptable.

According to a new biography, Prince William desires to become Australia's next governor-general, but Howard said today that was unlikely to happen.

"We have for a long time embraced the idea that the person who occupies that post should be in every way an Australian citizen," The Australian quoted Howard as saying in an interview to Southern Cross radio.

The future heir to the throne, who celebrated his 25th birthday last week, is in search of a career. His father, Prince Charles also wanted to be Australia's Governor-General in the 1980s, but the then government of Prime Minister Bob Hawke rejected the move.

"Charles really wanted the job because he saw it as a way to get the hell out of the grip of Prince Philip and the Queen," claims Former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown in the new book - The Diana Chronicles.

Bob Hawke said yesterday Prince Charles's escape plan was scotched by his government because it didn't want a "double dose" of the monarchy, given the Queen's role as head of state.

ANI