The Duke of Cambridge was at St Hugh’s College this afternoon to open a new £21m China Centre library, hours after Kensington Palace announced that the Duchess is expecting their second child.
The Duchess was due to join her husband in the traditional Chinese ribbon cutting ceremony, but had to withdraw as a result of severe morning sickness.
Prince William arrived at the college around 1.30pm, greeted by a large crowd that had started gathering an hour before.
The Duke abated the curiosity and concerns of well-wishers with a few words about his pregnant wife, explaining, “she is feeling ok. It has been a tricky few weeks or so but we basically are thrilled. It is great news. It is early days, we are hoping things settle down and she is feeling better.”
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After meeting benefactors and friends and supporters of the college, he was given a tour of the new library during which he was shown the Selden Map of China. Recognised as the earliest map to show shipping routes linking Ming-era China to markets in South Asia and beyond, it underwent major conservation work in 2008 and was exhibited in China earlier this year.
A plaque was then unveiled, which bore the name of the Duke and Duchess, despite the absence of the latter.
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Prince William then cut the ribbon in a traditional Chinese ceremony, before departing just after 4pm.
The Dickson Poon University of Oxford China Centre Building – the library’s full title – cost a total of £21m, and was named after Hong Kong philanthropist Mr Dickson Poon CBE, who donated £10m towards the cost of the building.
A statement on the College website explains, “This building will, for the first time, bring together academics drawn from across a range of disciplines, who have in common research and teaching interests related to China.
“The building will also provide 63 en-suite student bedrooms, a 100 seat lecture theatre, dining area and a range of conference and seminar facilities. It will also contain a dedicated library with study carrels and a reading room, which will provide a permanent home for books from the Bodleian Library’s China Collection.”
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St Hugh’s principal Dame Elish Angiolini announced, “St Hugh’s is extremely proud to have raised £20 million for this new development, and we are confident that through continued fundraising we will soon have the total amount needed. We are immensely grateful to our donors for helping us to provide such attractive, modern facilities for the students, Fellows and wider community at St Hugh’s.”
Media attention was understandably far greater than anticipated following the announcement of the royal baby. The college’s Head of Communications and Marketing, Kate Pritchard, tweeted, “A pleasure to meet HRH The Duke of Cambridge today @StHughsCollege #Oxford. He spent so much time speaking to staff, students and visitors.”
