FROM BOY TO FUTURE KING: Prince William’s Remarkable Journey Through the Years in Rare Photos
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 the footsteps of his father, King Charles, and the monarchs before him, he has dedicated his life to public service while carving his own journey toward the throne. Read on as we explore photos of Prince William young, from his baby photos and family holidays to fulfilling his royal duties.
Prince William (born William Arthur Philip Louis) was born in St. Mary’s Hospital in London, England, on June 21, 1982. He is the eldest son of King Charles III and the late Princess Diana. Prince William has a younger brother, Prince Harry, who was born on September 15, 1984. As a member of the British royal family, William is first in line to the throne.
When he was nine months old, William accompanied his parents on their 1983 tour of Australia and New Zealand. Princess Diana took a nurturing approach to raising Prince William and Prince Harry; she wanted them to have as normal an upbringing as possible despite their royal status. She often took the boys to homeless shelters, hospitals, and AIDS clinics to teach them about social issues and helping others.
After his parents divorced, William was very protective of his mother. “Both boys lived through what was going on on a daily basis,” said Andrew Morton, Diana’s biographer, in 2017. Charles and Princess Diana remained devoted parents until the Princess of Wales’ tragic death in 1997. After his mother’s passing, William spoke about the devastating loss of his mum. “Never being able to say the word ‘Mummy’ again in your life sounds like a small thing. However, for many, including me, it’s now really just a word — hollow and evoking only memories,” William wrote in the Daily Mail newspaper, according to CNN.
William attended the prestigious Eton College, where he studied geography, biology, and art history. Before starting university at St. Andrews in Scotland, he took a gap year to travel through Kenya, the Indian Ocean island of Rodrigues, and volunteer in Patagonia, South America. While at St. Andrews, he met his future wife, Kate Middleton. The pair were friends for a year before they started dating.
“I think you said I actually went bright red when I met you and sort of scuttled off. [I was] feeling very shy about meeting you,” Kate said to William years later in their engagement interview, according to People. On November 16, 2010, the couple announced their engagement to the world after eight years of dating (and a brief breakup in April 2007). William proposed while the pair vacationed in Kenya with friends a few weeks before the interview. “As every guy out there will know, it takes a certain amount of motivation to get yourself going. So I was planning it and then it just felt really right out in Africa. It was beautiful,” William recalled.
Prince William and Kate officially married in a royal ceremony in April 2011. Since then, they’ve welcomed three children: Prince George (age 10), Princess Charlotte (age 8), and Princess Louis (age 5). Following Queen Elizabeth’s death and Charles’ ascension to the throne, Prince William and Catherine Middleton now hold the titles of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
April 23, 1983: Prince William with Princess Diana and Prince Charles
So cute! Here is baby Prince William posing for photos with his parents, Diana Princess of Wales and Charles Prince of Wales, during the Royal Tour of New Zealand on April 23, 1983.
September 15, 1984: Prince William visits Prince Harry at the hospital
Prince William is seen here with his nanny, Barbara Barnes, after visiting his newborn brother, Prince Harry, on September 15, 1984, in London, England.
October 4, 1985: Prince William with the Princess of Wales and Prince Harry
In this iconic photo, the Princess of Wales poses with her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, during a private photo session at the piano in Kensington Palace.
February 6, 1986: Prince William at the Smith’s Lawn Windsor
Four-year-old Prince William is photographed at Smith’s Lawn Windsor to watch his father, the Prince of Wales, play in a polo match.
June 11, 1988: Prince William waving to onlookers
On June 11, 1988, in London, England, Prince William is seen waving to onlookers while riding in a carriage with his mother, Princess Diana, to the Trooping the Colors ceremony. June 1, 1991: Prince William at Windsor Great Park
We absolutely love how happy Prince William and his late mother, Princess Diana, looked while enjoying refreshments at Windsor Great Park in June 1991.
February 18, 1994: Prince William on a skiing holiday
During their annual skiing holiday, Prince William and his father, Prince Charles, are photographed sitting on a chair lift on February 18, 1994.
September 7, 1995: Prince William at Eton School
Here is 12-year-old Prince William cracking a smile while leading his classmates to lessons on the first day of school at Eton.
March 25, 1998: Prince William at the Burnaby South Secondary School in Canada
Prince William shakes hands with people as he arrives for a visit at the Burnaby South Secondary School in Canada in March 1998, a few months after his mother’s death.
July 26, 1999: Prince William at a photo call at Highgrove
To celebrate learning how to drive, Prince William is photographed stepping out of a vehicle at Highgrove.
September 29, 2000: Prince William before his gap year
Strike a pose! Two years before starting St. Andrews University, the 18-year-old Prince was photographed outside of his home near Tetbury, South West England, before starting his gap year.
March 28, 2002: Prince William with Prince Charles
Here, Prince William is pictured with his father, Prince Charles, on their annual ski trip to the Klosters on March 28, 2022.
April 11, 2008: Prince William and Kate Middleton attend his graduation ceremony at RAF Cranwell
While they were dating, Prince William and Kate Middleton were seen smiling at his graduation ceremony from RAF Cranwell on April 11, 2008, in Cranwell, England.
June 16, 2008: Prince William at 660th Anniversary Service of Order Of The Garter
Prince William stands beside his father, Prince Charles, before participating in the 660th Anniversary Service of the Order Of The Garter. That day, William became the 1000th Knight of the Garter, the senior and oldest British Order of Chivalry.
April 29, 2011: Prince William and Kate Middleton get married
Wedding bells are ringing! Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, are photographed smiling after their marriage ceremony at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London.
