William performs official duties and engagements on behalf of the monarch. He is patron of multiple charitable and military organisations, including theTusk Trust,Centrepoint,The Passage,Wales Air Ambulance andLondon's Air Ambulance Charity. He undertakes projects through theRoyal Foundation, with his charity work revolving around mental health, conservation, homelessness, and emergency workers. In 2020 William launched theEarthshot Prize, a £50 million initiative to incentivise environmental solutions over the next decade.
William was the first child born to aPrince andPrincess of Wales sincePrince John was born to Prince George and Princess Mary (laterKing George V andQueen Mary) in July 1905.[8] When he was nine months old, William accompanied his parents on their 1983 tour of Australia and New Zealand, as his first trip overseas.[9] It also marked the first time that a royal baby was taken on an overseas tour.[10] His younger brother,Prince Harry, was born in September 1984. Both of them were raised atKensington Palace in London, andHighgrove House inGloucestershire.[11][12][13]
Known informally as "Wills" within his family,[14] William was nicknamed "Willy" by his brother and "Wombat" by his mother.[15][16] Diana wished her sons to obtain broader and more typical life experiences beyond royal upbringing, taking them toWalt Disney World,McDonald's, AIDS clinics and shelters for the homeless.[17] The biographerRobert Lacey asserts that William, described as a "rambunctious" and "bratty" child, became "more reflective" with a "noticeably quiet character" as he began boarding school.[18] Diana was reported to have described William as "my little wise old man" on whom she started to rely as her confidant by his early teens.[19]
Shaking hands withBarbara Bush, 1991. His mother, Diana, and brother, Harry, look on.
William carried out his first public engagement while accompanying his parents on a visit toLlandaff onSaint David's Day in 1991.[20] He and Harry travelled to Canada on an official visit with their parents in 1991 and again with Charles in 1998.[21][22] William's parents divorced in 1996. Dianadied in a car accident in the early hours of 31 August 1997. William, then aged 15, together with his 12-year-old brother and their father, was staying atBalmoral Castle at the time. The following morning, Charles informed William and Harry of their mother's death.[23] William was reportedly uncertain as to whether he should walk behind his mother's coffin during thefuneral procession. His grandfatherPrince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, told him: "If you don't walk, I think you'll regret it later. If I walk, will you walk with me?".[24] At the funeral, William and Harry walked alongside their father, grandfather, and maternal uncle,Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, behind the funeral cortège from Kensington Palace toWestminster Abbey.[25]
After his mother's death, William stated that he was "in a state of shock for many years".[26] He and Harry inherited the majority of the £12.9 million left by their mother on their respective 30th birthdays, a figure that had grown to £10 million each by 2014.[27][28] In 2014 the brothers inherited theirmother's wedding dress along with many other of her personal possessions including dresses, diamond tiaras, jewels, letters and paintings. They also received the original lyrics and score of "Candle in the Wind" byBernie Taupin andElton John as performed by the latter at Diana's funeral.[28] In 2002The Times reported that William and Harry would also share £4.9 million from trust funds established by their great-grandmother on their respective 21st birthdays, as well as £8 million upon their respective 40th birthdays.[29]
Education
William was educated atprivate schools, starting at Jane Mynors' nursery school and the pre-preparatoryWetherby School, both in London.[30] Following this, he attendedLudgrove School nearWokingham, Berkshire, and was privately tutored during summers by the academicRory Stewart.[31] At Ludgrove, he participated infootball, swimming, basketball,clay pigeon shooting, andcross country running. He was subsequently admitted toEton College, studying geography, biology, and history of art atA-Level. He obtained an 'A' in geography, a 'C' in biology, and a 'B' in history of art.[32][33][34] William was captain of the swimming team and his house football team at Eton, also taking upwater polo.[35][36]
The decision to place William at Eton went against the family tradition of sending royal children toGordonstoun, which his father and grandfather both attended. Diana's brother andfather were both Eton students.[17] The royal family and the tabloid press agreed that William would be allowed to study free from intrusion in exchange for regular updates about his life.John Wakeham, chairman of thePress Complaints Commission, stated "Prince William is not an institution; nor a soap star; nor a football hero. He is a boy: in the next few years, perhaps the most important and sometimes painful part of his life, he will grow up and become a man."[17] While at Eton, he often had tea on weekends at the nearbyWindsor Castle with his grandmother, discussingstate boxes and constitutional duties meant to "prepare [him] as future King."[37][38]
In June 1991, William was admitted to theRoyal Berkshire Hospital after being accidentally hit on the forehead by a fellow pupil wielding a golf club. He suffered a depressed fracture of the skull and was operated on atGreat Ormond Street Hospital, resulting in a permanent scar.[39] The incident received widespread media attention.[35] In 1999 he underwent an operation on his left hand after he broke a finger.[40] After completing his studies at Eton, William took a gap year, during which he took part inBritish Army training exercises in Belize,[41] worked on English dairy farms, and visited Africa.[42] As part of theRaleigh International programme in the town ofTortel in southern Chile, William worked for ten weeks on local construction projects and taught English. He lived with other young volunteers, sharing in the common household chores.[41] His interest in African culture prompted him to teach himselfSwahili.[43]
In 2001 William enrolled at theUniversity of St Andrews in Scotland.[44][45] Similar to his time at Eton, the media agreed not to invade his privacy, and students were warned not to leak stories to the press.[46] William embarked on a degree course inArt History but later changed his main subject toGeography. He focused hisdissertation on the Indian Ocean'sRodrigues coral reefs and graduated with anundergraduate Master of Arts (MA Hons) degree withupper second class honours in 2005.[47][48] While at university, he represented the Scottish national universities water polo team at the Celtic Nations tournament in 2004.[36] He was reportedly known as "Steve" by other students to avoid any journalists overhearing and realising his identity.[49]
Early appointments and duties
At the age of 21, William was appointed aCounsellor of State; he first served in that capacity when the Queen attended theCommonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in the same year.[50] In July 2005, he embarked on his first solo public engagements on an overseas tour of New Zealand, travelling to participate in World War II commemorations.[51][50] According to the authorTina Brown, he had, like his father, expressed a desire to becomeGovernor-General of Australia.[52] In 2009 the Queen set up aprivate office for William and Harry withDavid Manning as their adviser.[53] Manning accompanied William on his first official tour in January 2010 as the latter touredAuckland andWellington; William opened the new building of theSupreme Court of New Zealand and was welcomed by aMāori chief.[54][55] The visit spurred crowds of "many thousands", with positive public reception compared to that of his mother's 1983 tour.[56] In March 2011, William visitedChristchurch, New Zealand, shortly after theearthquake,[57] and spoke at the memorial service atHagley Park on behalf of his grandmother.[58] He also travelled to Australia to visit areas affected by flooding inQueensland andVictoria.[59][60]
Before attending Sandhurst, William did a three-week internship at several institutions, including theBank of England, theLondon Stock Exchange andLloyd's of London.[61] To prepare for his eventual management of theDuchy of Cornwall, in 2014, he enteredSt John's College, Cambridge to undertake an executive agriculture management degree run by theCambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership (CPSL), of which his father is patron.[62][63] In April 2019, Kensington Palace announced that William had completed a three-week internship atMI5,MI6 andGCHQ,[61] during which he was tasked with monitoring extreme Islamist terror cells, identifying potential threats abroad, and observing code breaking technology.[64]
Having decided on a military career, William was admitted to theRoyal Military Academy Sandhurst in January 2006; his admission was based on successfully completing a 44-week course as an Officer Cadet which led to his commission as a British Army officer.[65][66] As "Lieutenant Wales" – a name based on his father's then title Prince of Wales – he followed his brother[67] into theBlues and Royals in December that year as a second lieutenant after which he spent five months training for the post atBovington Camp in Dorset.[68][69]
Despite the Queen's approval for William to serve on the frontline, his position as second-in-line to the throne at the time cast doubts on his chances of seeing combat.[70] Plans by theMinistry of Defence to send William to Southern Iraq leaked and the government eventually decided against sending him as it would endanger both his life and the lives of people around him if he was targeted.[71] William instead trained in theRoyal Navy andRoyal Air Force, obtaining his commission as asub-lieutenant in the former and aflying officer in the latter, both broadly equivalent to the army rank of lieutenant. After completing his training, he undertook an attachment with the Royal Air Force atRAF Cranwell.[72][73]
Upon completing the course he was presented with hisRAF wings by his father,[74] who had received his own wings after training at Cranwell.[75] During thissecondment, William flew to Afghanistan in aC-17 Globemaster that repatriated the body of Trooper Robert Pearson.[76] William was then seconded to train with the Royal Navy.[77] He then completed an accelerated Naval Officer training course at theBritannia Royal Naval College.[77] Whilst serving onHMSIron Duke in July 2008, William participated in a £40m drug seizure in the Atlantic, north-east of Barbados.[78] He was part of the crew on the Lynx helicopter which helped seize 900 kg of cocaine from a speedboat.[79]
William's first rescue mission as co-pilot of a RAF Sea King was in response to an emergency call from Liverpool Coastguard in October 2010.[86] In November 2011, he participated in a search-and-rescue mission involving a cargo ship that was sinking in the Irish Sea; William, as a co-pilot, helped rescue two sailors.[87] He was deployed to theFalkland Islands for a six-week tour withNo. 1564 Flight from February to March 2012.[88][89] The Argentine government condemned William's deployment to the islands close to the 30th anniversary of the beginning of theFalklands War as a "provocative act".[90][91] In June 2012, he gained a qualification to be captain orpilot in command of a Sea King rather than a co-pilot.[92] His active service as an RAF search-and-rescue pilot ended in September 2013.[93][94] He conducted 156 search and rescue operations, which resulted in 149 people being rescued.[95] He later became patron to theBattle of Britain Memorial Flight.[96]
In July 2015, William began working full-time as a pilot with theEast Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) based atCambridge Airport, which he felt was a natural progression from his previous search-and-rescue role.[97][98] He donated his full salary to the EAAA charity.[98] William required a civil pilot's licence and further training before being permitted to begin his role.[98] He underwent part of his training atNorwich Airport.[99] William described working irregular shifts and dealing mostly withcritical care cases.[100] He also discussed the impact of witnessing intensive trauma and bereavement on his mental health and personal life.[101] TheBBC has written that William was "exposed to theNational Health Service in a way that no other senior royal has been or possibly ever will be."[102]
William left his position with EAAA in July 2017 to assume full-time royal duties.[103][102] After supporting an anniversary campaign forLondon's Air Ambulance Charity in 2019, he became the charity's official patron in March 2020.[104] In May 2020, he granted permission to the charity to use Kensington Palace's private lawn to refuel during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[105] To mark Air Ambulance Week 2020, he wrote a letter thanking air ambulance workers, stating his "profound respect" for the community, particularly during the "immeasurably difficult" outbreak.[106][107] In February 2023, he became patron of theWales Air Ambulance charity.[108]
Personal life
Relationship with Catherine Middleton
With Catherine on the Buckingham Palace balcony on their wedding day
In 2001 William metCatherine Middleton, while they were students in residence atSt Salvator's Hall, at the University of St Andrews, and they became close friends.[109][110] She reportedly caught William's attention at a charity fashion show at the university in 2002 when she appeared on the stage wearing a see-through lace dress.[111] During their second year, William shared a flat with Middleton and two other friends.[112] The couple began dating in 2003.[113] From 2003 to 2005 they both resided at Balgove House on theStrathtyrum estate with two roommates.[114] In 2004 the couple briefly split but reconciled soon afterwards.[115]
The relationship was followed closely by the tabloid press.[116][117] Media attention became so intense that William asked the press to keep their distance from Middleton.[117] In December 2006, Middleton and her family attended William'spassing out parade at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[118][119] In April 2007, William and Middleton were reported to have split.[116] Middleton and her family attended theConcert for Diana three months later;[112] the couple were subsequently reported to have "rekindled their relationship".[120] She also attended theOrder of the Garter procession at Windsor Castle in June 2008, where William was made aRoyal Knight of the Garter.[121] In June 2010, the couple moved into a cottage on theBodorgan Estate in Anglesey, Wales, where they resided until 2014.[122][123][124]
The couple became engaged in October 2010, at a remote alpine cabin onMount Kenya, during a 10-day trip to theLewa Wildlife Conservancy to celebrate William's passing the RAF helicopter search and rescue course.[125]Clarence House announced their engagement on 16 November.[126] William gave his fiancée his mother'sengagement ring.[127] The wedding took place in Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011.[128] The global audience for the wedding ranged around 300 million, whereas 26 million watched the event live in Britain alone.[129][130] William and Catherine usedNottingham Cottage as their London home until 2013, when £4.5 million renovations completed at Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace, which continues to be their official residence in the capital.[131][132][133] The couple were given the country houseAnmer Hall, on theSandringham Estate, as a wedding gift from the Queen, where they lived from 2015 to 2017.[134][135] Kensington Palace was the couple's main residence until 2022, when the family moved toAdelaide Cottage inWindsor.[136][137][138]
Catherine's first pregnancy was announced in December 2012.[139] She was admitted on 22 July 2013 to the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, London, where Prince William had been delivered. Later that day, she gave birth toPrince George.[140][141] In September 2014, it was announced that Catherine was pregnant with her second child.[142] She was admitted on 2 May 2015 to the same hospital where she gave birth toPrincess Charlotte the same day.[143] Catherine's third pregnancy was announced in September 2017;[144]Prince Louis was born on 23 April 2018.[145] William and Catherine have owned twoEnglish Cocker Spaniels, namedLupo and Orla.[146][147]
Duke of Cambridge
With Catherine at the Canada Day celebration in 2011 during their first tour outside the United Kingdom
William was createdDuke of Cambridge,Earl of Strathearn, andBaron Carrickfergus on the day of his wedding in April 2011.[148][149] He and Catherinetoured Canada that summer.[150]Nicholas Witchell, writing forBBC News, noted that the tour to Canada had been an "unqualified success" for the couple as they engaged in various activities from tree planting to street hockey, with their warm interactions and thoughtful gestures enhancing their popularity and reinforcing positive sentiments towards the monarchy in Canada.[151] The couple served as ambassadors for the2012 Summer Olympics in London, during multiple sporting events throughout the games.[152]
In September 2013, William and Catherine visited Singapore, Malaysia, Tuvalu, and the Solomon Islands as part of theQueen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.[153] William hosted his firstinvestiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace in October that year.[154] In April 2014, he and Catherine undertook a royal tour to New Zealand and Australia accompanied by their son George.[155] In August that year, the couple along with Prince Harry represented the royal family atWorld War I commemorations in Belgium.[156] In December, the couple visited New York and Washington DC, where William made a speech at theWorld Bank condemning the illegal trade in wildlife.[157][158]
In 2015 and 2016 William embarked on various visits of Asian countries, including Japan, China, Bhutan and India;[159][160][161] he was the first royal to visit mainland China in almost three decades, with the press referring to William's diplomacy as "deft" and "polished".[162][163][164] In response to media allegations of being "work-shy", he asserted his commitment to his duties, emphasising his dedication to fatherhood and his role in air ambulance work.[165] Countries visited by William and Catherine in 2017 included France, Poland, Germany, and Belgium.[166][167][168][169] In January 2018 the couple visited Sweden and Norway.[170] The visits were, like others, requested by theForeign Office, and interpreted to benefitUK-European relations postBrexit.[171][172][173] In June 2018, William toured Jordan, Israel and Palestine.[174][175]
With Catherine greeting members of the public on their visit to Sweden in 2018
William and Catherine toured Pakistan in October 2019, which was the royal family's first visit to the country in 13 years.[176] The tour was a success, helping promote diplomatic relations with Pakistan while also reflecting the couple's personal interests in climate change and the significance of quality education.[177] In November 2020, it was reported that William had tested positive for COVID-19 in April but decided not to alert the media to 'avoid alarming the nation'.[178]The Daily Telegraph reported he had been "very ill" and had isolated away from his family;[179] other sources said that he had not been seriously ill, not bed-ridden and working for most of the time.[180] In December that year, the couple embarked on a tour of England, Scotland, and Wales via theBritish royal train "to pay tribute to the inspiring work" of communities and charities in 2020.[181][182]Boris Johnson expressed his support, while Scottish first ministerNicola Sturgeon criticised the tour, citing travel restrictions; local governments were consulted before planning the tour.[183][184]
Queen Elizabeth II died on 8 September 2022, and William's father succeeded as Charles III. William, nowheir apparent, was created Prince of Wales by his father on 9 September.[195]Controversy regarding the title became a topic of public debate in Wales.[196] By 17 September, a petition calling for the end of the title had received more than 30,000 signatures,[197] while aYouGov poll showed 66 per cent support for William to be given the title compared to 22 percent of respondents opposed.[198] On 30 October, Senedd LlywyddElin Jones noted that an investiture is not a constitutional requirement and suggested that contemporary Wales would deem it unnecessary.[199] Kensington Palace also stated an investiture is "not on the table".[200] As the eldest son of the British monarch, William has inherited the Duchy of Cornwall, which brings him additional income.[201][202] The duchy is "a £760 million (about US$1.25 billion) entity established in 1337" to provide a private income to the monarch's eldest son.[62]
William became aware ofHIV/AIDS in the mid-1990s when he accompanied his mother and brother on visits to shelters and clinics for patients. In January 2005, he and Harry volunteered at aBritish Red Cross aid distribution centre to pack emergency supplies for countries affected by the2004 Boxing Day tsunami.[214] Later, in December 2005, William spent two weeks in North Wales withMountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW).[215] In May 2007, he became patron of MREW and president of theRoyal Marsden Hospital, the latter of which was a role previously held by his mother.[216] In January 2025, William was announced as the hospital's joint royal patron alongside his wife, Catherine.[217]
In July 2007, William and Harry organised the Concert for Diana, in memory of their mother, which benefitted the charities and patronages of Diana, William, and Harry.[218] In October 2008, the brothers embarked on the 1,000 mile eight-day Enduro Africa motorbike ride across South Africa to raise money forSentebale,UNICEF and theNelson Mandela Children's Fund.[219] In 2010 William became a patron of100 Women in Hedge Funds' philanthropic initiatives for the following three years until 2012.[220] The same year, he succeededLord Attenborough as the fifth president of theBritish Academy of Film and Television Arts.[221] In March 2011, he and Catherine set up a gift fund held by The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry to allow well-wishers to donate money to charities supporting the armed forces, children, the elderly, art, sport and conservation in lieu of gifts.[222] The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry is now known asThe Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales.[223]
Humanitarian causes
In March 2020, William appeared in a video for theNational Emergencies Trust, launching a fundraising appeal to help charities during the pandemic. The appeal raised £11 million in its first week, eventually totalling to £90 million, with the money going out to "front line charities" and to theUK Community Foundations to be distributed among "local community foundations".[224] In April 2020, he officially became patron of the organisation.[225] Later that month, he made a surprise appearance onThe Big Night In, atelethon held during the COVID-19 pandemic, in a skit which he held a video call withStephen Fry, who reprised his role as (a descendant of)Lord Melchett, from theBlackadder series.[226]
At a United for Wildlife Taskforce meeting at Buckingham Palace, 2017
William became patron of theTusk Trust in December 2005, a charity that works towards conserving wildlife and initiating community development across Africa.[239] He carried out his first official duty with the Trust in launching a 5,000-mile (8,000 km) bike ride across the African continent in April 2008.[240] Later, William helped with launching the Tusk Conservation Awards, which have been presented to selected environmental activists annually since 2013.[241] In June 2010, he and his brother visited Botswana, Lesotho, and South Africa, undertaking projects relating to wildlife, sport, and young children.[242] In 2013 he succeeded his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, as president ofFields in Trust and transitioned into the role of patron in 2024.[243][244] He established the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce in December 2014, with the goal of reducing global illegal wildlife trade.[245] In 2014Jane Goodall stated that William had expressed the view that all ivory in the royal collection needed tobe destroyed.[246] William has occasionally commented on the effects ofoverpopulation on thewildlife of Africa, but his remarks have been criticised in the media for not takingresource consumption and population density into consideration.[247]
After two years of research, William launched theEarthshot Prize in October 2020, designed to provide funding and incentive for environmental solutions over the next decade.[248] Following the launch, he gave aTED Talk on environmental protection and conservation as part of the TED Countdown climate change initiative.[249] Later that month, William took over the patronages ofFauna and Flora International and theBritish Trust for Ornithology, passed on from his grandparents.[250] In the same month, he appeared in an ITV documentary titledPrince William: A Planet For Us All to discuss environmental issues.[251]
In 2021 William made a private donation to the Thin Green Line Foundation, which provides grants for the relatives of conservation park rangers that are killed every year while protecting wildlife.[252] In July 2022, he condemned the murder of South African park ranger Anton Mzimba and asked for the responsible parties to "be brought to justice".[253] In August 2022, William voiced his support for the prison sentence given to a man in the United States responsible for trafficking rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory.[254] He had previously called for harsher punishments and penalties for poachers and smugglers at the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in 2018.[255]
LGBT rights
William has spoken out forLGBT rights as part of his work againstcyberbullying, stating the importance of being "proud of the person you are" and discussing the effects of online abuse and discrimination.[256] In 2016 he appeared in the July issue ofAttitude and became the first member of the royal family to be featured on the cover of a gay magazine.[257] He was recognised at theBritish LGBT Awards in May 2017.[256] William hosted a commemorativePride Month discussion with mental health charity volunteers at theRoyal Vauxhall Tavern in June 2023.[258]
Mental health
Since 2009, William has been patron of Child Bereavement UK, which provides support to children and families who have lost a loved one.[259] In 2016 the Royal Foundation launched multiple mental health initiatives, including Heads Together, a campaign led by William, Catherine and Harry to de-stigmatise mental health.[260] Legacy programmes include Mental Health at Work, launched in September 2018 to change the approach to workplace mental health in the United Kingdom, as well as Heads Up, launched in May 2019 in partnership with theFootball Association, utilising football to affect the conversation surrounding mental health in adults.[261] Later that month, William and Catherine, together with William's brother Harry and sister-in-lawMeghan, launched Shout, the United Kingdom's first 24/7 text messaging service for those who suffer from mental issues.[262] William later volunteered on the crisis helpline during theCOVID-19 lockdowns to provide support via text message.[263] He attributes his interest in mental health to his experiences as an air ambulance pilot, his work with the homeless, veterans' welfare, and his wife's anti-addiction advocacy.[26]
In March 2020, William and Catherine began supporting a new mental health initiative by the Public Health England agency amidst the coronavirus pandemic.[264] In April 2020, the couple announced Our Frontline, an initiative providing mental health support to emergency medical workers.[265] In September 2020, William established the Emergency Responders Senior Leaders Board, commissioned by the foundation to research the mental health and wellbeing of emergency responders, in partnership withKing's College London and the Open University.[266] In May 2021 and 2022, William and Catherine voiced the Mental Health Minute message, which was broadcast on every radio station in the United Kingdom on and asked people to help individuals around them that suffer from loneliness.[267][268] In October 2022, to mark the World Mental Health Day, the couple took overNewsbeat and interviewed four guests on topics related to mental health.[269] In September 2023, William unveiled two organizations that had partnered with the Duchy of Cornwall to raise better mental well-being and provide mental health services for all its tenants.[270][271] In October 2023 and to mark World Mental Health Day, he and Catherine took part in a forum for young people in Birmingham, alongside BBC Radio 1 and charity called The Mix, calledExploring our Emotional Worlds continuing their longstanding work to promote mental well-being.[272] In May 2024, he announced a three-year funding package for the charity We Are Farming Minds to provide mental health support for farmers on the Duchy of Cornwall lands.[273] In December 2024, he and Catherine announced that they were jointly funding a pilot scheme with the charity Norfolk and Waveney Mind to offer extra support for rural and farming communities on theSandringham estate.[274] In March 2025, William was announced as the patron of We Are Farming Minds.[275][276]
Homelessness
In September 2005, William became patron ofCentrepoint, a charity that assists the homeless.[277] In December 2009, as part of a Centrepoint-organised event, the prince spent the night in a sleeping bag nearBlackfriars Bridge to raise awareness of the experiences of homeless youth.[278] He opened their new facility, Apprenticeship House, in November 2019 to mark their 50th anniversary.[279]
William has been patron of homelessness charityThe Passage since 2019 after first visiting the centre in 1993 with his mother.[280][281] In October 2020, he wrote the introduction to the organisation's 40th-anniversary fundraising cookbook, discussing the importance of helping victims of homelessness during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[282] In December 2020, William volunteered at the charity to help prepare donation bags for homeless residents in emergency hotel accommodations and spoke with residents about their experiences.[283] In 2022 and 2023, he was spotted selling copies ofThe Big Issue on the streets, copies of which are usually sold by homeless and unemployed people to collect money.[284][285]
In June 2023, William launched Homewards after two years of development, which aims to "finally end homelessness" in the United Kingdom.[286][287] The five-year initiative aims to tackle homelessness in six pilot locations across the United Kingdom with an initial seed funding allocated for each area by the Royal Foundation, working with existing private sector and grassroots charity partners.[286] The project focuses on early intervention and providing housing to families before other issues, such as abuse and joblessness, are addressed.[287] In February 2024, William, in partnership with Cornish charity St Petrocs, announced plans for building 24 homes on Duchy of Cornwall land inNansledan to provide temporary accommodation for people experiencing homelessness in the area.[288] Future plans include building more than 400 social rented homes and a further 475 affordable dwellings inSouth East Faversham.[289]
William often playspolo to raise money for charity.[290] He is a fan of football, and supports the English clubAston Villa.[291] He became president ofEngland's Football Association (FA) in May 2006 and vice-royal patron of theWelsh Rugby Union (WRU) in February 2007, supporting the Queen as patron.[292] The same year, the WRU's decision to name thePrince William Cup drew criticism as some believed it would have been more appropriate to name it afterRay Gravell.[293][294] William became patron of the WRU and the FA in 2016 and 2024, respectively.[295][244]
In February 2021, following an investigation into racism directed atMarcus Rashford, William released a statement as president of the FA, denouncing the "racist abuse... whether on the pitch, in the stands, or on social media" as "despicable" and stating that "we all have a responsibility" to create an environment of tolerance and accountability.[299] In April 2021, William criticised the planned breakaway competitionThe Super League, adding that he "share[d] the concerns of fans about the proposed Super League and the damage it risks causing to the game we love."[300] In July 2021, he condemned racist attacks against England football players following their loss at theUEFA Euro 2020 finale.[301]
In May 2007, William became patron of the English Schools' Swimming Association.[302] In 2012, together with his wife Catherine and brother Harry, William launched Coach Core. The program was set up following the2012 Olympics and provides apprenticeship opportunities for people who desire to pursue a career as a professional coach.[303] In May 2020, he appeared in aBBC One Documentary titledFootball, Prince William and Our Mental Health as a part of a campaign to promote men to discuss their mental issues using football as a common medium.[304]
In November 2022, William was criticised by Welsh football followers and Welsh actorMichael Sheen for holding the Prince of Wales title whilst having affiliations with theEngland national football team, particularly after he presented jerseys to the squad in advance of the2022 FIFA World Cup in which bothWales and England were placed in the same Group B.[308] William commented that he had supported the England football team from a very young age, but happily supportedWelsh rugby union, of which he is patron, over England.[309] In August 2023, he was criticised in segments of the press and social media for not attending2023 FIFA Women's World Cup final in Australia as president of the FA.[310][311]
William has been one of the most popular members of the British royal family since his birth.[312][313][314] Having lived a public life since birth, he was regarded as a "heartthrob" and eligible as a young adult, similar to his father.[315][316][317] Ruth La Ferla ofThe New York Times contrasted William's "refined" and "polite" appeal toLeonardo DiCaprio's "bad-boy" popularity.[318] Following his marriage, William's public image assumed a more "staid" and fatherly demeanour, having "settled into a stable domestic order".[319][320]
The journalistAnne McElvoy has described William's public personality as a "genial presence" with a "tougher side", alongside his mother's "inimitable style".[321] Much of his royal duties focus on "big bet" projects, rather than "plaques and patronages". In 2016 William gave an interview stating his goal was "how do I make the royal family relevant in the next 20 years ... that's the challenge for me".[322][319]
In April 2011,Time magazine listed him asone of the most influential people in the world alongside his then-newlywed wife Catherine.[323] In August 2023,Gallup, Inc. named him as the most popular public figure in the US after conducting a survey that asked for people's views on 15 prominent individuals.[324] He was found to be the most popular member of the royal family by the statistics and polling companyYouGov in December 2022[325] and September 2023,[326] and as the second most popular in April 2024.[327] In December 2024,The Daily Telegraph included William in its annual list of best-dressed celebrities.[328]
Privacy and the media
Thedeath of William's mother while being chased by thepaparazzi in August 1997[329] has since influenced his attitude towards the media.[330] He and Catherine have often requested that, when off-duty, their privacy should be respected.[330] In 2005 William spoke with the ITV reporterTom Bradby and concluded that it was likely that their voicemails were being accessed.[331] An investigation under thenDeputy Assistant CommissionerPeter Clarke concluded that the compromised voice mail accounts belonged to William's aides, includingJamie Lowther-Pinkerton,[332] and not the prince himself.[333] However,Clive Goodman later stated that he hadhacked William's phone on 35 occasions.[334]Andy Coulson, the editor ofNews of the World from 2003 to 2007, apologised to William and his brother for invading their privacy, accepting "ultimate responsibility" for the actions of Goodman.[335] William later suedNews Group Newspapers, publisher ofNews of the World andThe Sun, which resulted in an out-of-court settlement in 2020.[336] He and his brother Harry brought a claim privately through their mutual attorneys, but Harry later pursued his case separately with a new solicitor.[336][337]
In 2005, after his then-girlfriend Catherine Middleton was chased by the paparazzi on her way to a job interview, William consulted Middleton andher father and wrote a legal letter to newspapers requesting that they respect her privacy.[338] As media attention increased around the time of Middleton's 25th birthday in January 2007, he issued a public statement mentioning that "the situation is proving unbearable for all those concerned."[339] In October 2007, William issued a public statement via his press secretary complaining about the "aggressive pursuit" by "photographers on motorcycles, in vehicles and on foot" while the couple were leaving a London nightclub and later driving in his car.[340] Following the statement,Daily Mail,Daily Mirror, andDaily Express all decided against using the paparazzi photos of the couple, butThe Sun published photos taken before the couple's car had left.[340] The statement prompted the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) to issue a warning, asking editors not to publish photographs which were taken through harassment.[340] In April 2009, William's lawyers obtained an apology fromThe Daily Star after the tabloid had claimed he had "wrecked" a $2m plane during his pilot training.[341]
In September 2012, the French edition ofCloser and Italiangossip magazineChi published photographs of Catherine sun-bathing topless while on holiday at theChâteau d'Autet in Provence.[330] William and Catherine filed a criminal complaint with the French prosecution department and launched a claim for civil damages at theTribunal de Grande Instance deNanterre.[342] The following day the courts granted an injunction againstCloser prohibiting further publication of the photographs and announced that a criminal investigation would be initiated.[343][344] In September 2017,Closer was fined €100,000 and its editor Laurence Pieau and owner Ernesto Mauri were each fined €45,000.[345]
In October 2014, William and Catherine sent a legal letter to a freelance photographer who had put their son George and his nanny "under surveillance", asking the individual to stop "harassing and following" them.[346] In August 2015, Kensington Palace published a letter detailing what it stated were the "dangerous" and invasive efforts of the media to get paparazzi pictures of Prince George and Princess Charlotte.[347]
In November 2016, William issued a statement supporting Prince Harry and his then-girlfriend,Meghan Markle, following their complaints about the press intrusion, stating that he "understands the situation concerning privacy and supports the need for Prince Harry to support those closest to him."[348] During a visit to the BBC studios in central London in November 2018, he publicly criticised the social media firms' approach to handling "misinformation and conspiracy" and added, "Their self-image is so grounded in their positive power for good that they seem unable to engage in constructive discussion about the social problems they are creating".[349]
In June 2022, a three-minute video of William confronting Terry Harris, a paparazzi photographer, was posted on Harris' YouTube channel.[350] It was recorded by Harris in January 2021 and shows William arguing with Harris as the latter attempts to film William's family on a bike ride near Anmer Hall.[351] Kensington Palace described the video as a breach of the family's privacy and asked for it to be removed from public websites.[351] The couple's lawyers also contacted the photographer, who claimed he was on public roads and had filmed the video after hearing about allegations that the couple had broken the "rule of six" as they toured a public attraction at Sandringham while William's uncle and aunt, thenEarl andCountess of Wessex, and their children happened to be in the same spot.[350]
As the eldest son of the monarch, William automatically becameDuke of Cornwall,Duke of Rothesay,Earl of Carrick,Baron of Renfrew,Lord of the Isles, andPrince and Great Steward of Scotland on the accession of his father on 8 September 2022.[354][355] From 8 to 9 September, William was styled as "His Royal Highness the Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge".[356] On 9 September, Charles announced the creation of William asPrince of Wales, the traditional title for the male heir apparent to the British monarch. William has since been known as "His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales", except in Scotland, where he is called "His Royal Highness the Duke of Rothesay" instead.[198][357] The letters patent formally granting him this title and that ofEarl of Chester were issued on 13 February 2023.[358]
William descendsmatrilineally from Eliza Kewark, a housekeeper for his 18th-century ancestor Theodore Forbes – a Scottish merchant who worked for the East India Company inSurat. She is variously described in contemporary documents as "a dark-skinned native woman", "anArmenian woman from Bombay", and "Mrs. Forbesian".[366] GenealogistWilliam Addams Reitwiesner assumed Kewark was Armenian.[367] In June 2013, it was reported thatgenealogical DNA tests on two of William's distant matrilineal cousins confirm Kewark was matrilineally of Indian descent.[368][369][370][371]
"Preface", in:Hurd, Douglas (2015).Elizabeth II: The Steadfast. Allen Lane.ISBN978-0-1419794-10.
"Introduction", in:Butfield, Colin; Hughes, Jonnie (2021).Earthshot: How to Save Our Planet. John Murray.ISBN978-1-5293886-26.
"Foreword", in:Martell, Peter (2022).Flowers for Elephants: How a Conservation Movement in Kenya Offers Lessons for Us All. C. Hurst (Publishers) Limited.ISBN978-1-7873869-38.
"Foreword", in:GCHQ (2022).Puzzles for Spies. National Geographic Books.ISBN978-0-2415799-09.
"Foreword", in:Butfield, Colin; Hughes, Jonnie (2023).The Earthshot Prize: A Handbook for Dreamers and Thinkers: Solutions to Repair our Planet. Hachette Children's.ISBN978-1-5263646-92.
^As a member of the royal family entitled to be calledHis Royal Highness, William does not normally use a surname. He has used bothMountbatten-Windsor,[1] and – at university and in his military career –Wales.[2] The middle name Louis is pronounced/ˈluːi/.
^La Ferla, Ruth (3 January 1999)."NOTICED; A royal crush".The New York Times.Archived from the original on 17 December 2023. Retrieved2 September 2023.
^Hern, Alex (14 June 2013)."Are there ethical lapses in the Times' story on William's 'Indian ancestry'?".New Statesman.Archived from the original on 20 August 2013. Retrieved11 August 2013.Although Eliza Kewark was indeed thought of as Armenian, it's not particularly surprising that she would have had Indian ancestors; the Armenian diaspora had been in India for centuries at the time of her birth, and even the most insular communities tend to experience genetic mixing over that timescale.
^Paget, Gerald (1977).The Lineage and Ancestry of H.R.H. Prince Charles, Prince of Wales(2 vols). Edinburgh: Charles Skilton.ISBN978-0-284-40016-1.
1 Not a British prince by birth, but createdPrince Consort.2 Not a British prince by birth, but created a Prince of the United Kingdom. Princes whose titles were removed and eligible people who do not use the title are shown in italics.
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