PRINCE WILLIAM

Prince William is the elder son of The Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales.

He was born at 9.03pm on 21 June 1982, at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London. A bulletin announced that the Royal baby weighed 7lb 1 1/2oz.

On 4 August 1982, Prince William Arthur Philip Louis was christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Robert Runcie, in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace.

After attending Mrs Mynors School, Prince William became a pupil at Wetherby School in London, from 15 January 1987 until 5 July 1990.

From September 1990, The Prince attended Ludgrove School in Berkshire, for five years until 5 July 1995. He then attended Eton College from July 1995 and studied Geography, Biology and History of Art at A Level.  

Prince William was 15-years-old when Diana, Princess of Wales was killed in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997.  Prince William and Prince Harry walked behind their mother’s cortege at her funeral which was held at Westminster Abbey on 6th September 1997.

After a gap year in which he visited Chile, Belize, worked on British dairy farms and visited countries in Africa, Prince William chose to study at St Andrews University in Fife, Scotland. He graduated with a 2:1 in Geography in 2005.

After a period of work experience, Prince William joined the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as an Officer Cadet.

He was commissioned as an army officer in front of Her Majesty The Queen at Sandhurst in December 2006 and joined the Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals) as a Second Lieutenant.

To mark a decade since the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry organised two major events to commemorate and celebrate the life of their mother.  The first was the Concert for Diana, which was held at Wembley Stadium on 1 July 2007, on what would have been The Princess’s 46th birthday.  The event featured some of their mother’s and some of their own favourite artists.  All of the artists were invited to perform by Prince William and Prince Harry.

The second event was a Thanksgiving Service for Diana, Princess of Wales held at the Guards’ Chapel in Wellington Barracks, London.  The service, held on 31 August 2007, the 10th anniversary of the Princess’s death, was attended by members of the Royal Family, the Spencer family, charity representatives and friends of the late Princess.  Prince William, Prince Harry and Lady Sarah McCorquodale gave readings.

In 2008, Prince William will serve on attachment to the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force following the completion of his time as an armoured reconnaissance troop leader with the Household Cavalry Regiment. 

These attachments will enable Prince William to share the working lives of airmen and sailors, and to make comparisons with his own experience to date as an Army officer.