An old school chum of the prankster who claimed to have kissed Prince William on both cheeks today recalled their time together at the posh City of London Boys' School.
Anthony Hegedus, a 36-year-old IT manager, of Harebell Close, Billericay, told how Aaron Barschak "mucked about a little bit more than the others".
But he said: "I don't remember him being a comic genius or thinking he would be the next Rowan Atkinson. He was just an ordinary guy at school."
The two were in the same year and shared lessons including French and maths.
There were, said Mr Hegedus, a couple of typical episodes where they would play the teachers up by stacking chairs in the classroom and then disappearing.
Mr Hegedus, married with three children, said: "He was fun and well-liked - not a nasty piece of work at all, and there were some.
"He was certainly not a swot. But I have not kept up with him since we left school."
He praised Barschak's Windsor Castle gatecrash for highlighting the lax security surrounding Prince William's 21st birthday bash and added: "He did everyone a favour.
"There is something ridiculous about the whole thing. He invaded someone's 21st birthday party, but no one would have cared had it not been Prince William's.
"The whole thing has been over-hyped. If it causes a national scandal we should change the way the royal family works."
Published Tuesday, June 24, 2003
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