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Jun 21, 2021 · Jun 21, 2021, 6:25 AM PDT. Prince William in 2005. POOL/Tim Graham Picture Library/Getty Images. Prince William, who is second in line to the throne, turns 39 on June 21. Before he became...
William, Prince of Wales (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982), is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales . William was born during the reign of his paternal grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
- Overview
- Early life and education
- Military career
- Later life
William, prince of Wales (born June 21, 1982, Paddington, London, England) elder son of Charles III and Diana, princess of Wales, and the heir apparent to the British throne. William is one of the most popular members of the British royal family, and he has come to personify the modern monarchy.
William is the first British heir apparent born at a hospital (St. Mary’s in London). His childhood also differed from earlier royals. Most notably, he and his younger brother, Prince Harry, were exposed to a world beyond royal privilege by their mother, who sought to give her sons a “normal” upbringing. As a result, the boys took public transportation, went to fast food restaurants, and visited homeless shelters and orphanages. William received his early education at Wetherby School in London and later attended Ludgrove School in Berkshire (1990–95) and Eton College in Windsor (1995–2000).
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William and Catherine
After a tumultuous marriage, William’s parents divorced in 1996. The following year, Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris. William, who was 15 years old, was admired for his public poise and grace in the wake of her death. The image of him and 12-year-old Harry walking solemnly behind Diana’s casket as it was carried through the streets of London did much to endear the brothers to the British public. While William rarely spoke publicly about his mother’s death, he stated in a speech during a tour of Scotland in 2021 that “Scotland is the source of some of my happiest memories. But also, my saddest. I was in Balmoral when I was told that my mother had died.” He went on to note that he found solace in the Scottish outdoors.
In 2006 William entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Despite his willingness to join British forces in Iraq, military officials suggested that neither William nor Harry should serve there, because they could become specific targets of attack, thereby putting their fellow soldiers at risk (Harry later served two tours of duty in Afghanistan...
William ranks among the most popular figures of the royal family, known for his ease and relatability, traits that his mother also possessed. In various ways, William has sought to honour Princess Diana’s legacy. In 2007 he and Harry organized a London memorial service to mark the 10-year anniversary of her death. The two later commissioned a statue of their mother, and it was unveiled on the grounds of Kensington Palace in 2021.
Much like his father, William is an avid sportsman and an environmental activist. In 2020 he announced the creation of the Earthshot Prize, which was inspired by U.S. Pres. John F. Kennedy’s “Moonshot” initiative to send a man to the Moon. It was to be awarded in five categories over 10 years, and the goal was to “repair the planet.” The first prizes were presented in 2021.
While William has largely avoided the scandals that plagued his parents, his relationship with Harry became fodder for the tabloids beginning in 2020. That year Harry and his wife, Meghan, duchess of Sussex, announced that they would “step back” from their royal duties. The brothers’ relationship became increasingly strained, especially after Harry and Meghan publicly criticized the royal family. During a discussion about racism, Harry claimed that there was “a huge level of unconscious bias” among family members. This came as the monarchy faced an intensifying backlash over its colonial legacy of exploitation, repression, and slavery. During a Caribbean tour in 2022, William and Catherine encountered protests as many countries in the region considered removing the British monarch as head of state. William later said that “racism…has no place in our society.”
On September 8, 2022, Elizabeth II died, and Charles became king. William became heir apparent and inherited the title duke of Cornwall from his father, who soon conferred the additional title prince of Wales upon William.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 4 min
- Lindsay Lowe
- 1982: Prince William is born. Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana welcomed their first child, Prince William, on June 21, 1982. A day later, his mother cradled him as she and her husband left the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital — where William’s children would one day be born.
- 1984: Preparing to be a big brother. Shortly before his second birthday, William sported adorable blue dungarees as he posed for this photo with his parents at Kensington Palace in London.
- 1985: Royal family vacation. William traveled with his parents from a very young age. In April 1985, not long before his third birthday, he and Harry were photographed on board the Royal Yacht Britannia during a trip to Venice, Italy.
- 1988: Early wedding duties. At age 6, Prince William was a page boy at the wedding of Camilla Dunne and Rupert Soames in Hereford, England. He sported pink suspenders and seemed a little bemused by the antics of his fellow page boys and flower girls.
May 5, 2024 · May 5, 2024 · 9 min read. 2. Prince William Young Photos: See The Prince of Wales Throughout The Years. From birth, Prince William was set to be the future King of England. Following in...
- Monica Mercuri
Young Prince William. Prince Charles And Sons. Royals In Spain. Trooping The Colour. Prince William. Royal Family In Venice. The Duke and Duchess Of Cambridge And Their Family Attend Special Pantomime Performance To Thank Key Workers. Charles, Diana And Sons. TRH Prince of Wales & The Duchess Of Cornwall, Official Wedding Photo, April 9, 2005.
Apr 25, 2023 · Check out a bunch of photos of Prince William through the years—from his first public appearance and his 21st birthday to getting married and becoming a dad.
