登基的前奏？威廉王子明年或搬家辭職

幾年前，為了讓孩子們擁有一段正常的童年，威廉王子夫婦移居到了清凈的鄉村別墅安墨堡以躲避人們的窺視。但是近日據消息人士透露，因為喬治小王子要到倫敦上學，他們可能又要搬回肯辛頓宮了。此外，威廉王子明年很可能結束空中救護飛行員的工作，全身心投入到王室事務中。Since they became parents three years ago, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have turned Anmer Hall in Norfolk into their perfect family home, offering a "normal" childhood for Prince George and Princess Charlotte away from prying eyes.自三年前為人父母后，威廉和凱特就把家安頓在諾福克的安墨堡，讓喬治王子和夏洛特公主遠離人們的窺視，擁有一段「正常」的童年。

In 2017, however, they are expected to leave it behind after deciding Prince George should be schooled in London and that Kensington Palace should be their full-time base.但2017年他們可能會離開這裡，因為喬治王子要到倫敦上學，而肯辛頓宮應該會成為他們主要的活動地點。

The Duke and Duchess are also ready to step up their royal duties, with the Duke contemplating giving up his career as a helicopter pilot to take up a full-time public role.威廉和凱特也準備好履行更多王室職責，威廉考慮結束其作為直升機飛行員的職業生涯，開始全心全意做一名公眾人物。

Sources close to the couple have said they are committed to expanding their own Royal Foundation charity by giving more time to pet causes including mental health.據知情人士透露，威廉和凱特決心擴大王室基金會的慈善事業，在心理健康等他們所關心的事業上投入更多時間。

They have told friends they expect 2017 to be a milestone year, in which they settle into roles that will last until they become king and queen.威廉和凱特對友人表示，他們希望2017年成為里程碑式的一年，在這一年裡他們將努力適應繼位前所扮演的角色。

A source said: "The Duke, in particular, has a lot of thinking to do over the Christmas and New Year period.一位消息人士稱：「特別是公爵，他有很多想法要在聖誕節和新年期間落實。」

"He has his job as an Air Ambulance pilot, which he enjoys very much, but he also wants to take on more royal duties, as does the Duchess."「他非常喜歡現在的空中救護飛行員工作，但和公爵夫人一樣，他也想承擔更多的王室職責。」

"Decisions about schooling and nurseries are all part of that." The Duke and Duchess are understood to have put Prince George"s name down for ￡6,500-a-term Wetherby School in London, the pre-prep school attended by the young Princes William and Harry.「部分原因也與孩子上學和入托的決定有關。」據悉威廉和凱特已經為喬治王子申請了倫敦的威瑟比小學，這所預備學校每學期學費為6500英鎊，威廉王子和哈里王子小時候都曾在這裡就讀。

Officially, they have made no final decision on schooling, but the Duchess is said to be privately resigned to moving back to London.威廉和凱特並沒有在學校的問題上正式做出最終決定，但據說，凱特私下已經準備好搬回倫敦。

An added factor is that the Duke"s two-year piloting contract comes to an end in March, and he will have to decide before then whether he is able to sign on for another lengthy period.另外一個原因是威廉兩年的飛行合同將在明年3月到期，他必須提前決定屆時能否續簽一份長期合同。

One likely scenario is that he will continue working for East Anglian Air Ambulance until the summer, even though his contract with Bond Air Services expires in March.儘管威廉與邦德飛行服務公司的合同明年三月就到期了，但他可能會在東安格利亞空中急救隊繼續工作到明年夏天。

The Duke and Duchess and Prince Harry have carried out more engagements this year than in 2015.威廉凱特以及哈里王子今年承擔了比去年更多的王室工作。

Royal sources said that trend would continue in 2017 as they help to lighten the workload for the Queen, who will be 91 in April, and the Duke of Edinburgh, who will be 96 in June.據王室消息人士稱，2017年他們將繼續這一勢頭，幫助女王分擔工作。女王明年4月就是91歲高齡了，而愛丁堡公爵明年6月也到96歲了。

Before Christmas the Queen passed on her patronages of 25 organisations to members of the Royal family including the Duke and Duchess.聖誕節前，女王將她所贊助的25所機構交給了威廉和凱特等英國王室成員。

The Duchess has become patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club at Wimbledon and the Duke is patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, among other groups.凱特已成為溫布爾登全英草地網球俱樂部的贊助人，而威廉則是威爾士橄欖球聯盟等組織的贊助人。

Vocabulary

patronage: 資助

(責任編輯：voa365)
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