A gap year is a rite of passage for anyone: a first taste of freedom after years of education, a chance to discover who you are without the rigid restraints of syllabi and CVs (or perhaps just a debauched dash around Vietnam). For a young royal, though, a gap year offers perhaps the last few months free of public scrutiny and official engagements. Perhaps that is why a year off before university – or, in the case of many heirs, military training – has become an increasingly popular option throughout the royal houses of Europe. Just take Princess Ariane of the Netherlands, who has announced that she will take a gap year before deciding on the next era of her education. The 18-year-old is following in a rich royal heritage, from Denmark to Britain, but will her break be more like Prince

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