Prince William and Prince Harry have been in the spotlight their whole lives. As children, they were third and fourth in line to the throne, and the whole world was watching their every move. Not much has changed in that regard, but the brothers' lives have changed a lot. Recently, Prince Harry and Prince William had a falling out, and now Harry doesn't even live in the UK. Let's go back to a simpler time when Harry and William were young.
It's no surprise that they were both super adorable children. Little blond William and ginger Harry, they were the best of friends. And a bonus of having Princess Diana as a mom meant that they were pretty fashionable, too. Diana also made sure to give her kids as normal of a life as possible, so there are tons of pictures of the boys playing and having fun — a rarity for royal children before them.
Here are some of the best photos of the princes as kids.
All Smiles
Taken in 1983 shortly after Prince William's birth, this picture highlights that special bond between Diana and her children. They truly brought her so much joy, and she was such a present mother for them. They didn't grow up in the easiest of circumstances, but she did everything she could to give them a normal childhood.
Cuddles From Mom
Here's another photo from Prince William's early days with his mother. Even though he's just a baby in this picture, he already looks so much like his adult self! William has basically been a little man since birth. And how special for him to have photos like this of him and his mom to look back on and cherish.
Playing Around
When they were young, Highgrove House had a fun little playground setup for the boys in the yard. They had two slides, swings, a playhouse, and monkey bars. They also had little soldier outfits to play pretend in. And, of course, their mother who was always around to keep an eye on them and play right along.
Piano Time
Princess Diana was a pro at playing the piano, and she made sure to introduce her sons to the instrument as well. This photo was snapped in October 1985 when William was 3 and Harry was 1. We can't get over baby Harry's ginger hair and Will's big smile. Such cute kids.
William's Playroom
A special feature of Kensington Palace was the boys' playroom. It was filled with toys and even decorated for children, which can't be said for many of the other rooms at the palace. The walls were adorned with fun hats and pictures of what looks like the princes' own artwork, like the train collage on the door.
Out & About
It's very rare to see the whole Wales family together in photos. Most of the pictures of Will and Harry from when they were young feature them with only their mother but rarely with Charles, who was often busy with royal duties. But occasionally, they all stepped out together as a family unit.
Waving to the Press
Both brothers have a somewhat strained relationship with the press these days, what with the paparazzi's role in their mother's death. (William has a much friendlier attitude than Harry, though.) But when they were children, they were all about waving for the cameras, much like Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis do today.
Hitting the Waves
Diana was such a hands-on, fun mom, even willing to jump on a jet ski with her kids. Here she is pictured with a young Prince Harry, where she's letting him drive and everything. Although they didn't get her for nearly as long as they should have, Will and Harry are lucky to have had such a great mom as Diana.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
School Days
Even to this day, it's so fun seeing pics of the royal children in their school uniforms. For many of us American royal fans, the outfits are different from what kids wear to school in the US. Take William and Harry's uniforms from 1989, for example. Adorable little blazers, shorts, sandals, and matching hats. Too cute.
Royal Duties
But being royal children wasn't all fun and games. The princes did often have to attend royal functions, like the 1995 V.E. Day commemorations pictured here. They both look pretty bored, which is understandable considering that the boys were just 12 and 10 at the time. They probably wished they were on a jet ski instead.
Matching With Mom
We often see Kate Middleton coordinate her outfits with her children's clothes, but she didn't start that trend. Princess Diana also loved a matching moment. When she wore a striped dress on a visit to Spain in 1986, she also dressed both of her sons in matching striped shirts.
And Matching Each Other
Even when Diana didn't coordinate with her kids, she did like when they at least looked cohesive with each other. For instance, on this particular outing, she dressed the princes in jeans, denim shirts, and matching hats. They look ready to play, so this must not have been a formal occasion that they were photographed at.
Just a Regular Kid
Diana was notorious for taking her children to theme parks and having just as much fun as them on the rides. Over the years, they went to places like Disney World, Alton Towers Theme Park, and Thorpe Park Theme Park. We love the look of joy on both little Harry's face and his mother's on this ride. They were clearly having a great time.
Such a Rebel
Prince Harry definitely had a bit of a naughty streak in him as a kid, and he didn't always play nice for the press. On this occasion, Harry was visiting his new cousin, Princess Beatrice, and he stuck his tongue out at reporters as they snapped his picture. Nowadays, Princess Charlotte has been caught doing the same thing, so she learned a thing or two from Uncle Harry.
Hitting the Slopes
Skiing has long been a popular royal hobby — one of Kate Middleton and Prince William's first public outings was on a ski trip. Things started for William as a kid when his mom would take him and his brother to hit the slopes. They all look so cool here in their '90s snowsuits and sunglasses.
Snack Time
Just like how Kate Middleton and her children have picnics while they watch Prince William play polo these days, he used to do the same thing with Harry at Charles' polo matches. Here they are with some juice boxes and snacks during a 1989 match. They're so cute in their matching sweats and polo shirts holding their juice.
Red Carpet Attire
At a royal event in 1988, both William and Harry had to wear the proper attire. For young royal boys in England, that's shorts and knee socks. Princes George and Louis understand how that uniform works as well, but Kate and Will also occasionally let them wear pants for royal events like a recent holiday outing.
Chilling With the Queen
She may be the Queen of England, but to young William and Harry, Queen Elizabeth was just their Gran. She was fairly hands on with them, as much as her schedule allowed, and she occasionally invited them to watch sporting events, like polo, with her. She's so engaged with the princes here, it's cute to see.
Pint-Sized Pony
What does a parent get for a tiny child? Well, the royals got William a matching tiny pony. Smokey lived at Charles and Diana's country home, Highgrove House, and he was the perfect size for young William to ride. The prince was about 4 years old at the time, and only as tall as a very small horse.
Brotherly Love
It's so sad that William and Harry's relationship has suffered such a breakdown in recent years. They used to be really close, especially as children. Look how sweetly little 5-year-old William is holding the umbrella over himself and his brother. We miss these caring moments between the two of them.
