November 12, 2019 | Kyle Climans

42 Engaging Facts About Prince William


“My guiding principles in life are to be honest, genuine, thoughtful and caring.”—Prince William.

He’s the Duke of Cambridge, second-in-line to the throne of the United Kingdom, and he’s been a media darling for years. Son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, William spent his childhood caught up in the attention which surrounded his parents. Growing up the son of a royal family is a unique position, so what’s William done with that position? How did the media circus influence him?

From the incredible highs to the tragic lows, here are 42 little-known facts about Prince William.

Prince William factsTravel + Leisure


Prince William Facts

42. That’s What They Call Me

As a boy, William was given the nickname “Wombat” by his parents. The media, meanwhile, gave him the less imaginative nickname “Wills.”

Prince William factsHuffPost

41. Chasing that Diploma

William actually contains the highest level of education of anyone in the Royal Family. He has an MA in Geography from the University of St. Andrews.

Prince William factsItv

40. Mommy’s Stubborn

When William was just nine months old, he was involved in a serious break from Royal Family protocol. His mother, Princess Diana, took him along with her when she and Prince Charles travelled to Australia and New Zealand for a royal tour. Normally, children were never taken on such tours, but Diana put her foot down.

Prince William factsPinterest

39. Synced Up Celebrations

William was baptized on August 4, 1982. Interestingly, that date also happened to be the 82nd birthday of his great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, mother to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Prince William factsGALA

38. Duke Bill

After he married Catherine Middleton, they were given the titles Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. We just hope the Queen also got them some things off their wedding registry!

Prince William factsabc7NY

37.  Don’t Argue with Mom

According to Prince Charles, he and Diana had disagreed on what William’s name should be. Diana’s choice ultimately became William’s first name, while Charles’ first choice, Arthur, became his second name. Fair enough.

Prince William factsPopsugar

36. Inheriting the Job

In 2014, William became the president of the British Sub-Aqua Club, the national governing party which oversees recreational diving in the United Kingdom. William isn’t the first member of his family to do so; his father and grandfather all served as presidents in the past.

Prince William factsLainey Gossip

35. When Will Met Kate

William was studying at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland when he came across Catherine Middleton. Initially becoming friends, their relationship turned to romance when they shared an apartment with some mutual friends during their second year at the university.

Prince William facts24H Viral Photos

34. For the Cause

In keeping with that stereotype of upper-class rich people, William is an accomplished polo player. However, he uses those skills for good; he regularly takes part in polo matches for charity.

Prince William factsPinterest

33. Don’t Mind Them, They’re Bored

William and Catherine Middleton provided a lot of media fodder with their relationship, including their long dating period without an engagement. Gossip writers attached the nickname “Waity Kate” on Middleton for this reason. Very original, fellas.

Prince William factsVogue

32. Incognito

While he was at the University of St. Andrews, he was often known as “Steve” by his friends and classmates to avoid bringing unwanted attention to him. This makes us wonder if he ever wore fake glasses with a bushy moustache as well.

Prince William factsMirror

31. I’m a Big Fan!

At 13 years old, William harbored a childhood crush on supermodel Cindy Crawford. Because he is a prince and his mother was Princess Di, Crawford was invited to lunch at Kensington Palace to meet her young admirer.

Prince William factsPinterest

30. Make it of Marble and Gold

In 2017, the 20th year after their mother’s passing, William and his brother, Harry, commissioned a statue of Princess Diana to stand in Kensington Palace. The work is expected to be done by 2019.

Prince William factsClarin

29. Missing You, Mom

The brothers also commissioned two documentaries in honor of Princess Diana, which were both produced and released in 2017. The first one, Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, followed her life, while Diana, 7 Days, focused on the last week of her life and the aftermath of her passing. William was among the many people interviewed for the documentaries.

Prince William factsHollywood Reporter

28. Officer-In-Training

In 2005, William embarked on a military career, passing selection with the Regular Commissions Board in Wiltshire. Following this, he enrolled at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2006.

Prince William factsToronto Star

27. First Child

William’s firstborn son, George Alexander Louis, was born on July 22, 2013. He shares the name George with William’s great-grandfather, who had the royal name of George VI, and the name Louis with the Earl of Mountbatten, who was a mentor and father figure to William’s father. Additionally, the name “Alexander” could be a reference to Alexandra, Queen Elizabeth II’s middle name.

Prince William factsPinterest

26. Crown for a Badge?

William’s initial career choice was a police officer. However, his brother put an end to that ambition when he pointed out that William would have to become King.

Prince William factsPerspecs

25. Hands-On Dad

Upon the birth of his son, George, it was very important to William that he be able to personally drove his wife and son home from the hospital. While this would seem like an utterly normal thing to do, William broke tradition by taking on that role himself rather than having someone else drive them.

Prince William factsTV Movie

24. Surprise!

According to William’s friends, especially those who served with him the Royal Air Force, they played many pranks on him. Their favorite prank is buying “Will & Kate” merchandise and hiding it in William’s home for him to find randomly.

Prince William factsLos Angeles Times

23. Second Child

William’s daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, was born on May 2, 2015. She shares her middle names with William’s mother and grandmother, while her first name is a female version of Charles, William’s father.

Prince William facts20 Minutes

22. Diamond and Sapphire

When William became engaged to Middleton, he used his mother’s former engagement ring. William’s brother, Harry had initially inherited the ring, but the two brothers made an agreement that whoever got engaged first would be able to use that ring.

Prince William factsPopsugar

21. Bilingual Fellow

When William visited the Canadian province of Quebec, he gave a speech to a mainly French-speaking audience. However, he was able to deliver his speech in French, avoiding the need for a translator.

Prince William factsThe Globe and Mail

20. The Shadow of the Crown

After his brother, Prince Harry, had his 2007 deployment canceled due to specific threats against him, William’s attempts to serve in the armed forces was put at risk. However, William persisted in his training, eventually being transferred to Afghanistan in 2008. Despite that, a long-term military career wasn’t on the cards for William, given his place in line for the throne.

Prince William factsLoop

19. Third Child

William’s second son, Louis Arthur Charles, was born on April 23, 2018. In addition to sharing one name with his older brother—are they running out of names?—Louis also shares his middle name with his grandfather’s first name.

Prince William factsFalmouth Packet

18. Another Family Tradition?

William’s birth in St. Mary’s Hospital marked him as “the first heir to the throne to ever be born in a hospital.” His two eldest children would also be born there, as well as his brother, Prince Harry.

Prince William factsDigital Spy

17. Popular Guy

William and Catherine Middleton’s wedding ceremony was watched by no fewer than 1.5 billion people. That’s more than a sixth of the world’s population!

Prince William factsCosmopolitan

16. Leftie

On his first ever public appearance in 1991, the young William visited Llandaff Cathedral in Wales. William revealed that he was left-handed to the world when he signed the visitor’s book. Apparently, this got in the way of William’s polo-playing, since the game forbids using your left hand. Rather than change the rules to be more inclusive, William learned how to play with his right hand out of sheer determination.

Prince William factsThe New Royalty World

15. Seeing the Holy Land

William is the first British royal to have officially visited Israel and Palestine since the British Mandate expired in 1948. He visited in June 2018, meeting with the Israeli president and prime minister, as well as the Palestinian president.

Prince William factsHarper

14. Following in Mom’s Footsteps

To fight the social stigmas placed on those suffering of AIDS, Princess Diana would visit clinics and shelters offering help and support to AIDS patients. Often, she would take her sons with her, opening their eyes to the realities of the disease at an early age. William would also accompany his mother when Diana was a supporter of Centrepoint, a charity which focused on helping the homeless.

In the early 2000s, an adult William would become a patron of Centrepoint as well.

Prince William factsWhat Kate Wore

13. Eton Boy

Unlike his father, uncles, and cousins, William did not attend any part of his education at Gordonstoun School. One reason might be the fact that William’s father, Charles initially expressed his extreme dislike for the school—though he later amended his statement to describe a more positive view of the school. William went to Eton, where his maternal grandfather had also studied.

Prince William factsSohu

12. Savior

While he was working with the Royal Air Force services, William saved several lives when he was involved in rescue missions. He was involved in airlifting a man suffering from a heart attack off of an off-shore gas rig, as well as rescuing two sailors from a sinking cargo ship in the Irish Sea.

Prince William factsVoici

11. Leave My Girlfriend Alone!

Ever since they began dating in 2003, William and Catherine Middleton were subjected to such scrutiny by the media and public that bookmakers accepted bets on whether their relationship would result in marriage. William even took the time to directly address the press and insist they keep give Middleton her space.

Prince William factsUs Weekly

10. Who Doesn’t Love Elephants?

While spending time in Africa, William witnessed firsthand the actions of the Tusk Trust. This is a charity which focuses on “conserving wildlife and initiating community development, including providing education, across Africa.” William became a patron of the organization in 2005.

Prince William factsIBTimes UK

9. Early Speed Bumps

Believe it or not, Will and Kate originally broke off their relationship in 2007. Allegedly, William called off their relationship because of his reluctance to enter a marriage. His father, Prince Charles, also weighed in and cautioned him from rushing into a relationship like he’d done with Princess Diana. Of course, William and Middleton got back together a few months later, and the rest became history.

Prince William factsYouTube

8. Can You Also Talk to Golf Balls?

In 1991, when William was around nine years old, he was struck by a golf club swung by one of his classmates. He suffered a depressed fracture on his skull, which required hospitalization. To this day he carries a scar which William himself dubbed his “Harry Potter scar” because of the way “it glows sometimes and some people notice it—other times they don’t notice it at all.”

Prince William factsPeople

7. The Welsh Prince

William does not use a surname in everyday life. This is part of the protocol with princes and princesses in the Royal Family. Before he was given any title of his own, William was addressed by his “father’s territorial designation.” Thus, since his father is known as the Prince of Wales, William’s was ceremoniously called “Prince William of Wales.”

Prince William factsn-tv

6. Kiwi Fan?

When it comes to the Royal Family, they’re obligated to travel abroad in an ambassador-like role representing the UK to the world. William is no exception, having frequently traveled as a member of the Royal Family. When it comes to his official visits, William has visited 28 countries. Of those countries, he’s visited the US and Germany twice, Australia and Belgium three times, Canada and France four times, and New Zealand five times.

Prince William factsToronto Star

5. My Travels

After finishing his studies at Eton, William embarked on a series of different jobs around the world. These included army training in Belize, visiting Africa, working on dairy farms in England, and teaching children for ten weeks in Chile.

Prince William facts

4. I Call That a Bust

During his training with the Royal Navy, William spent time on active boats and submarines. One such example was a deployment on the HMS Iron Duke for five weeks while it was stationed in the Caribbean. While part of the ship’s crew, William “took part in a joint operation with the United States Coast Guard.” This operation was a raid, capturing a speedboat loaded with enough cocaine to be worth $40 million!

Prince William factsMilitary Wikia

3. Wide Awake

William later admitted that the night before his wedding, he had gotten just a half hour of sleep. His nervousness over the big day, coupled with the crowd outside of his father’s house, meant that he couldn’t get longer than hour of sleep. We’re amazed he looked so composed, to be honest.

Prince William factsThe Daily Beast

2. Who Wants That Attention?

William was just 15 years old when he woke up one morning and was informed by his father that his mother, Princess Diana, had died in a car accident.

Amidst the royal family’s polarizing response to Diana’s death in 1997, it was William’s grandfather, Prince Philip, who convinced William and Harry to walk behind her coffin. When the young princes were apprehensive, Philip reportedly told his eldest grandson, “If you don’t walk, I think you’ll regret it later. If I walk, will you walk with me?” At the funeral, Philip, William, Harry, Charles, and Diana’s brother followed the bier all the way from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace, as millions watched.

Prince William factsPeople

1. Mama’s Boy

It’s never easy when your parents divorce, but we can imagine it only gets worse when one of your parents is a member of the Royal Family and millions of people are eating up any scrap of gossip they can find about you and your parents. In William’s case, there was a big scandal over whether his mother, Diana, could keep the title of “Princess” after she divorced Prince Charles. While the Queen was okay with Diana having the title of “Royal Highness”, Charles was insistent on her relinquishing the title. For his part, the young William apparently quipped “Don’t worry, Mummy, I will give it back to you one day when I am King.”

Prince William factsDaily Express

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8


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