Mary Beard’s offer to tutor young royals

Revered historian Professor Mary Beard said she offered to become the personal Latin tutor to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s three children as she collected her damehood from Buckingham Palace.

The broadcaster, well-known for her documentaries and appearances on the BBC, said she would do “anything” to ensure Princes George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte, grew up with an understanding of the ancient Roman language.

Speaking moments after she received the honour for services to the study of classical civilisation from William at Buckingham Palace, Dame Mary said: “It’s important to learn where we’ve been and where we’ve come from, and for people to have access to some of the most extraordinary and influential literature in world culture.

“That kind of direct connection with something so influential written so long ago is, I think, terribly important.

“Of course, because it was a very happy and joyous occasion in which we were being friends, he left me with the strong impression that his children would be learning Latin.

“But he was bound to. It would be rude for him – and I’m sure he wouldn’t – to say: ‘Well we looked at that and we really think it’s a waste of time,’” she said.

Picture: PA. Prof Mary Beard receives her damehood at Buckingham Palace yesterday.