Prince William, happy birthday! On June 21, the Duke of Cambridge turns 40 years old. Here is a look back at his life over the years in honour of his milestone birthday, from his early school years to his time in the military to his more recent life as a father, husband, and future king.
Table of Contents
Celebrate Prince William’s 40th birthday by looking back at his life so far!
Prince William, happy birthday! On June 21, the Duke of Cambridge turns 40 years old. Here is a look back at his life over the years in honour of his milestone birthday, from his early school years to his time in the military to his more recent life as a father, husband, and future king.
- Celebrate Prince William’s 40th birthday by looking back at his life so far!
- 1982: The birth of Prince William
- 1984: All set to be big brother
- 1988: Prince’s early Wedding Duties
- 1995: First day of Eton
- 1997: Princess Diana’s death
- 2000: Last school days
- 2000: Gap year between Eton and University
- 2008: Days in the military
- 2010: Engagement announcement with Kate Middleton
- 2011: The Royal wedding
- 2013: Starting the family
- 2016: Family expansion
- 2018: Best man at Prince Harry’s wedding
- 2018: Extended family
- 2020: Extending support to COVID-19 workers
- 2021: A decade of togetherness
- 2022: The Platinum Jubilee
- 2022: Celebrating fatherhood
1982: The birth of Prince William
Prince William was born on June 21, 1982, to Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana. A day later, when his mother and spouse departed the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital, where William’s future children would be born, his mother held him in her arms.
1984: All set to be big brother
Prince Charles was all set to become a big brother shortly before his second birthday, when Diana was six months pregnant with her second baby, Prince Harry.
1988: Prince’s early Wedding Duties
At the age of 6, Prince William served as a page boy at Camilla Dunne and Rupert Soames’ English wedding in Hereford. He was wearing pink suspenders and appeared to be amused by his fellow page boys’ and flower girls’ shenanigans.
1995: First day of Eton
On September 6, 1995, William, then 13 years old, showed up for his first day of classes at the elite Eton College wearing a suit and tie. He attended the prep school Ludgrove School, for boys between the ages of 8 and 13, before enrolling at Eton.
1997: Princess Diana’s death
On August 31, 1997, William, at 15 years old, lost his mother in a car accident. A week later, he and Harry, who was 12 at the time, went to her funeral in London.
William talked openly about the “dark days of sadness” that followed his mother’s passing in a speech in 2021.
2000: Last school days
William, who was 18 years old, was an Eton prefect and, it appears, a member of the society known as “Pop” or the Eton Society.
According to the upscale British gentleman’s clothing company New & Lingwood, members of that exclusive society of prefects were encouraged to wear vibrant waistcoats of their own design.
2000: Gap year between Eton and University
Between leaving Eton and starting university, the prince took a year off. He volunteered in Chile for a portion of that year with the adventure charity Raleigh International, building paths out of logs.
2008: Days in the military
William chose a military career after graduating from college in 2005. The prince trained with the Royal Navy in June 2008, just before turning 26 as part of his training with the Royal Air Force.
The prince later served the Royal Air Force for three years as a search and rescue pilot.
2010: Engagement announcement with Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge, wore a sapphire ring that belonged to the late Princess Diana when William announced their engagement in 2010. The two had been close friends in college.
2011: The Royal wedding
William and Kate got married. On the balcony of London’s Buckingham Palace, on April 29, 2011, a magnificent ceremony concluded with a kiss.
2013: Starting the family
Prince George was born to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on July 22, 2013.
2016: Family expansion
Princess Charlotte, born on May 2, 2015, was William and Kate’s second child, who they welcomed in 2016.
2018: Best man at Prince Harry’s wedding
When Harry got married to Meghan Markle, who is now known as the Duchess of Sussex, in Windsor, England, William acted as best man for his brother.
2018: Extended family
Prince Louis was born to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on April 23, 2018.
2020: Extending support to COVID-19 workers
William and his family participated in the BBC Children In Need and Comic Relief “Big Night In” in London in April 2020, applauding for medical professionals during the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak.
2021: A decade of togetherness
William and Kate commemorated ten years of marriage in April 2021.
2022: The Platinum Jubilee
In June 2022, as part of the festivities honouring Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their three children were prominent figures. Both William and his father, Charles, were dressed as future kings when they stood on the balcony during the Trooping the Color procession.
2022: Celebrating fatherhood
Wishing a Happy Father’s Day to fathers and grandfathers all over the world today, Kensington Palace posted a sweet picture of Prince William with his three kids on Father’s Day in 2022: Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 7, and Prince Louis, 4.
