'Plot to bug William at university'

British intelligence officers have uncovered a plot to bug Prince William at his Scottish university, newspapers reported today.

Officers from MI5, Britain's domestic intelligence service, discovered electronic surveillance equipment during sweeps in the university town of St Andrews, the reports said.

Unnamed intelligence sources were quoted as saying the equipment was set to tap into the prince's telephone calls and e-mails. It was programmed with word recognition triggers which would be activated when the prince was using the telephone or computer.

Buckingham Palace has not commented on the bugging report.

William, eldest son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, will begin a four-year art history degree at St Andrews University in September.

The principal of St Andrews University has warned students and staff of severe consequences if they leak stories about Prince William to the media.

Both of William's parents have fallen victim to bugging devices and suffered the embarrassment of having their most private phone conversations made public.

Heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles was taped having an intimate conversation with his mistress, Camilla Parker Bowles while the tapes of Diana's conversations with friend James Gilbey became known as "Squidgygate".

William is currently enjoying a year off from studying after leaving Eton College, west of London, last summer.

He recently took part in a Raleigh International character-building mission to Chile where he taught English to local school children, cleaned lavatories and cooked for his fellow volunteers.

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