IT'S easy to give a biased opinion. Well, I was at the hospital when he was born and I have kept a weather-eye on the lad ever since.

But wasn't that appearance before cameramen and writers by Prince William of Wales impressive?

There can't be a mother in the land who wouldn't have wanted HER son to be as assured, as confident, as charming as William was yesterday.

The most impressive part of the entire photocall/press conference was his lack of arrogance.

This is a young man who has been brought up quite beautifully.

His diction was good; his bearing first-class; his ability to express himself clearly impressive; his demeanor impeccable.

If he could eliminate the clich� word "basically", which he used too often, I'd have given him top marks.

What I liked was his ability to answer, with grace, the questions hurled at him.

He did so as if he was an "ordinary person" which, of course, isn't the case.

William seems to have inherited the better qualities of both his mother and father and little of the high handedness associated with too many of his family.

We don't see enough of him for my liking. Not because I want to intrude but because I enjoy witnessing the way he is progressing as a decent human being who will one day influence the way we live.

His "praise" of journalists for leaving him alone, enabling him to grow up in relative peace was said without the tiniest hint of a sneer.

And his condemnation of Princess Diana's former private secretary for betray-ing her in THAT book was all the more devastating for its understatement.

Prince Charles's relation-ship with his elder son is wonderful to behold.

But it's always been obvious to me that they adore each other.

For those who advocate that Britain become a republic this "perform-ance" by the two princes must have been worrying.

They're not perfect - either of them.

But I'd like to know who would be better as our Head of State