He’s a surfer
This is one of the surprising hobbies the British royal family does in their spare time. We may not think of Britain as a great place to surf, but Prince William has been known to don a wet suit and hop in the chilly water on his board. He was spotted taking a break from nappy duty after Prince George was born by surfing at a bachelor party (or as the English say, “stag do,”) in Devon on the English coast. He’s also been photographed boogie-boarding with Prince Harry in Cornwall. At a surfing charity event, also in Cornwall, Prince William reportedly said, “We should have brought our wet suits, I’m very jealous. Living by the beach is just perfect.” The very sporty Prince also loves soccer and polo (bonus fun fact: He’s left-handed, which initially made playing polo difficult, as only the right hand is allowed to hold the mallet).
He and Duchess Catherine almost didn’t make it down the aisle
Their royal nuptials on April 29, 2011, were watched by millions. Yet, it almost didn’t happen. The couple, who met when they were both attending St. Andrew’s University, actually broke up in 2007. “It was very much trying to find our own way, and we were growing up so it was just a bit of space, and it worked out for the better,” Prince William said in their engagement interview. The Duchess agreed: “At the time I wasn’t very happy about it, but it actually made me a stronger person,” she said. “You find out things about yourself that maybe you hadn’t realised. I think you can get quite consumed by a relationship when you are younger, and I really valued that time for me as well although I didn’t think it at the time.” Even after they got back together, it was quite some time before the Prince proposed in 2010, earning her the nickname “Waity Katie.”
He’s always had sibling rivalry with Prince Harry
These 19 rarely seen photos of royal siblings, including Princes William and Harry, prove they’re just like any other brothers. The two Princes haven’t been shy about displaying their good-natured rivalry: After his exams in for the Royal Air Force, Prince Harry joked in a joint interview, “It’s still hard work, but I’m better than William, so it’s fun.” Prince William countered when asked if he helped his brother study, “Oh yes, he needs an awful lot of help.” And when Prince William was expecting his second child with Kate, Harry said with a laugh, “I can’t wait to see my brother suffer more.” Then just recently when Prince William was asked about Harry’s new baby, William said, “I’m very glad and pleased to welcome my brother to the sleep deprivation society.” Although rumours of a real rift between the brothers have been brewing, it’s most likely that the two are just going in different directions as they’re getting older.