'Don't discriminate against Prince William for his background', says Cambridge professor

Prince William will study agricultural management at college (Getty Images)

Prince William “should not be discriminated against” for his blue-blooded background while studying for his Cambridge course, according to a professor.

The Duke of Cambridge started a “bespoke” 10 week agricultural course at St John’s College today.

Prof Ross Anderson, of Cambridge University’s computer laboratory, told the Cambridge News no one who attends a specialist course should face prejudice “because of the circumstances of their birth”.

The prestigious university has come under fire for admitting the Duke of Cambridge despite his lacklustre A-Level grades.

Most students admitted to Cambridge require at least one A* and two As at A-Level, but William achieved A, B and C – before A*s were awarded.

He went on to achieve a 2:1 in geography from St Andrews University in Scotland in 2005.

Prof Anderson told the Cambridge News his colleagues routinely produce specialist courses for people who pay for them.

He added: “Colleagues and I sometimes organise special courses for people from industry who want to learn about the latest research in our field. For this we charge them money.

“Every academic has the right to do this, so it is completely unfair of people to criticise poor Borys [Cambridge’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz].”

He added: “Whether they have any A-levels at all is no more relevant than the price of tea in China.”

A statement from Cambridge said that the course had been “ designed to help provide the Duke with an understanding of contemporary issues affecting agricultural business and rural communities in the United Kingdom”.