He's already the future King and is moving with speed up the ranks of the Armed forces. Now it would seem Prince William has a rather less likely role, one which is a little closer to the heart.

Throughout their childhood, Princes William and Harry and their York cousins, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, spent large amounts of time together thanks to the on-off friendship of their respective mothers, Diana and Sarah, Duchess of York.

Now it would seem 24-year-old William has, figuratively speaking, thrown a protective arm around Andrew and Sarah's eldest daughter by setting her up on a date with one of his friends.

The 18-year-old Princess, who outwardly at least appears much less worldly-wise than her Wales cousins (observers have noted that Beatrice can be a little naive and too trusting), last week enjoyed a night out with a man dubbed her "new boyfriend", Dave Clark, a 24-year-old who enjoys dual American and British citizenship.

Says a friend: "Dave and William met while they were at universities in Scotland and have kept in touch through a close-knit circle of friends. Both attended Sam Branson's party where Dave got on well with Beatrice. They just clicked."

"Dave's a bright, good-looking guy and he gets on really well with Beatrice. He's a high-flier who will go far, but he shies away from publicity."

He certainly is a high-flier, his being involved in Sir Richard Branson's landmark Virgin Galactic space project.

The colourful entrepreneur, a great friend of Diana, Princess of Wales (his daughter Holly Branson is a friend of the Prince and has been touted on and off TV as a possible 'wife for William') has already invited Prince Harry to join other famous faces on the first tourist flight into space.

Having spent much of the past year accompanying her single mother, Sarah, to society events, it would appear Beatrice is finally breaking out.

Just last week the Queen's young granddaughter was snapped leaving one of William and Harry's favourite nightclubs, the Cuckoo Club in London's West End, at gone 3am. Patrons were soon revealing that Beatrice and her boyfriend had spent much of the night together, at one point openly kissing passionately.

With Beatrice now spoken for, it looks as if the divorced Duchess of York will have to find someone else with whom to, in her words, go out "on the pull."

Eugenie beware!

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Name: matildamiles	Comment: Since Beatrice had met Dave at two seperate recent birthday parties before they went to the Cuckoo Club together, it is more than likely that the date was their own idea entirely.

Name: udyusa	Comment: Somehow, Beatrice appears to have had "one too many". Hopefully, she will not be impressed with the "high life" of her mother.

Name: Trudie	Comment: Perhaps William can hook up one of his friends fathers who may be divorced for Sarah.