by Scott Mehl    © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Prince William, The Prince of Wales, is the elder son of King Charles III of the United Kingdom and Lady Diana Spencer, and the heir apparent to the British throne. He was born Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales, at 9:03 pm on June 21, 1982, in the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London. He was the third grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh. Prince William was the first future British king to be born in a hospital.

• Unofficial Royalty: Ancestors of Prince William, The Prince of Wales

He was christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace on August 4, 1982. His godparents were:

• King Constantine II of Greece (his father’s second cousin)
• Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy (his paternal grandmother’s first cousin)
• Natalia Grosvenor, The Duchess of Westminster
• Lady Susan Hussey (Woman of the Bedchamber to his paternal grandmother)
• Norton Knatchbull, Lord Romsey (his father’s second cousin, later 8th Baron Brabourne)
• Sir Laurens van der Post (a close friend of his father’s)

William has one brother:

• Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (born 1984), married Meghan Markle, had one son and one daughter

Unlike previous generations of British royals, William began his public life at a very young age. He accompanied his parents on a tour of Australia and New Zealand at just nine months old. He began his schooling at Jane Mynors’ nursery school, followed by pre-preparatory schooling at Wetherby School, both in London. From 1990-1995, he attended Ludgrove School in Wokingham and then studied Geography, Biology, and History of Art at Eton College.

Following a gap year during which he visited Belize and Chile, worked on dairy farms in England, and visited Africa, William enrolled at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Initially studying Art History, he changed his course to Geography and graduated in 2005 with honours. Following an internship at HSBC, he entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst at the beginning of 2006. He graduated in December of the same year and joined the Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals) as a Second Lieutenant (promoted to Lieutenant a year later). He also trained with the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force and took an attachment to the Royal Air Force in 2008. Following a two-month attachment to the Royal Navy, he formally transferred his commission to the RAF, with the rank of Flight Lieutenant, and trained as a helicopter pilot with the RAF’s Search and Rescue Force.

Following his training, William transferred to the Search and Rescue Training Unit at RAF Valley, in Anglesey, Wales. There he trained on the Sea King helicopter, graduating in September 2010. He remained at RAF Valley, assigned to C Flight No. 22 Squadron, until stepping down from active service in September 2013.

At that time, it was announced that William would be undertaking more official duties, while still evaluating his role and future plans. In January 2014, he enrolled in a 10-week course in Agricultural Management at the University of Cambridge. As he will one day take over control of the Duchy of Cornwall, this was intended to help prepare him for that role. Later in 2014, it was announced that he would be taking a full-time position with the East Anglian Air Ambulance service.

From an early age, William was exposed to the struggles and challenges faced by many people. To this day, he continues to support many of the charities and causes once very dear to his mother, and has developed a strong interest in conservation and protection of our natural resources. This is just a small list of organizations with which he is involved:

• Patron, Centrepoint
• Patron, The Royal Marsden Hospital
• Patron, Mountain Rescue England & Wales
• Patron, The Tusk Trust
• President, England Football Association
• Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union
• Patron, English Schools Swimming Association
• President, British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)

In addition to his many organizations, William is an avid polo player, and along with his brother, often takes part in charity polo matches.

While a student at the University of St Andrews, William met his future wife, Catherine Middleton. First as friends, and then as flat-mates along with some other friends, the relationship soon turned romantic. After years of speculation, and intense media scrutiny, the couple became engaged while on a vacation in Kenya. William gave her his mother’s famous engagement ring – a large sapphire surrounded by diamonds.

The engagement was formally announced by Clarence House on November 16, 2010. Following the announcement, the couple met the press and photographers at St. James’ Palace, followed by a television interview.

On April 29, 2011, Prince William and Catherine Middleton married at Westminster Abbey. Earlier that morning, The Queen had created him Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, and Baron Carrickfergus.

• Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Prince William, The Prince of Wales and Catherine Middleton

On December 3, 2012, it was announced that William and Catherine were expecting their first child. During all three of her pregnancies, Catherine suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum, a pregnancy complication that is characterized by severe nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and possibly dehydration. The Queen issued Letters Patent in December 2013, declaring that all children born to William and Catherine would be Prince and Princess, with the style of Royal Highness. On July 22, 2013, Catherine gave birth to a son George Alexander Louis, at 4:24 pm.

The following day, the proud parents emerged from the doors of the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital the following day and presented their son to the crowds and media waiting outside. For many, it brought back memories of a similar scene, thirty-one years earlier, when William’s parents first emerged from the hospital with the newborn Prince William.

William and Catherine have three children:

• • Prince George Alexander Louis of Wales (born July 22, 2013 at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, England)
  • Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Wales (born May 2, 2015 at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, England)
  • Prince Louis Arthur Charles of Wales (born April 23, 2018 at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, England)

William and Catherine with their children on the Buckingham Palace balcony during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022

William was made a Knight of the Order of the Garter on April 23, 2008 – as the 1,000th member of the Order. This was the first time a grandchild of the sovereign had been appointed to the order since 1894. He was later, in May 2012, made a Knight of the Order of the Thistle. He was also made Personal Aide-de-Camp To Her Majesty The Queen in March 2013.

Following their marriage, William and Catherine resided in Anglesey, Wales, where Prince William was stationed at RAF Valley. In London, they moved to Nottingham Cottage – a small residence on the grounds of Kensington Palace. It was later announced that they would move to Apartment 1A within Kensington Palace, the former home of Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. After extensive renovations, they took up residence in 2014. In addition, the Queen has given them the use of Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate as their country home. It was at Anmer Hall where they were based primarily until 2017, as it was closer to Prince William’s work at the East Anglian Air Ambulance.  In 2017, William and his family moved back to Apartment 1A in Kensington Palace on a permanent basis.

In the summer of 2022, William and his family moved to Adelaide Cottage, a four-bedroom house on the grounds of Windsor Castle in Berkshire, England. The move was made to give Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis a more normal family life. The family will retain Apartment 1A in Kensington Palace.

William automatically became Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay when his father succeeded to the throne as King Charles III on September 8, 2022. The following day, King Charles III created his elder son and heir apparent The Prince of Wales. As The Prince of Wales and The Duke of Cornwall, William’s primary source of income comes from the Duchy of Cornwall,  a private estate established in 1337 that funds the public, charitable, and private activities of the Prince of Wales and his family. The Duchy of Cornwall owns 133,658 acres of land, including farming, residential, and commercial properties, as well as an investment portfolio.

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House of Windsor Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Index
• House of Windsor Index
• Birth of the House of Windsor
• British Royal Weddings
• Children, Grandchildren, Great-Grandchildren, and Great-Great-Grandchildren of King George V
• Coronations after the Norman Conquest (1066 – present)
• First Cousins of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
• History and Traditions: Windsor Weddings Part 1 – Children of King George V
• History and Traditions: Windsor Weddings Part 2 – Later Windsor Weddings
• House of Windsor Christenings
• House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and House of Windsor Burial Sites
• Line of Succession to the British Throne
• Windsor Weddings Part 1 – Children of King George V
• Windsor Weddings Part 2 – Later Windsor Weddings
• When The British Monarch Dies