Prince William, Prince of the United Kingdom and Duke of Cambridge, was born on June 21, 1982 and is second in line to the British throne after his father Prince Charles. You probably already knew that he has been married to Kate Middleton since 2011 and they have three children together, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. But did you know that it was actually his grandfather who chose his name? That he studied history at university? Or that he was once in the army reserve? There are some really intresting facts about Prince William you may not know…
He was born at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London
Prince William is no ordinary member of the British Royal family. His life is full of interesting facts and accomplishments that have amazed people all around the world. Here are some amazing facts about Prince William that you may not have known:
- Prince William was born in a hospital in Paddington, London on June 21, 1982. He was the first male heir to the throne to be born in a hospital rather than at a royal palace.
- He was christened at Buckingham Palace, the same place where his parents, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, were married just two months earlier.
- While attending Eton College, Prince William excelled at sports, particularly football and rugby. He also holds an honorary position with the Welsh Rugby Union, which he held before attending university.
- He has a strong interest in basketball and even spent time playing it with NBA stars like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant during their visit to London in 2012.
- Prince William is an excellent pilot and earned his private pilot license at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell. He later earned an advanced helicopter pilot license and flew search-and-rescue missions with the Royal Air Force.
His full name is William Arthur Philip Louis
The 21st of June 1982 marked the birth of William Arthur Philip Louis. His full name has a special meaning. William is from the Germanic personal name Wilhelma, which means protector of the realm, and Arthur is derived from the Celtic name Artorius, which means bear-like. His other two names, Philip and Louis, are both French, with Philip deriving from a Greek personal name and Louis coming from the Frankish name Chlodovech.
As for Prince William, his main sports-watching focus is on football. He is a lifelong supporter of Aston Villa F.C., a professional football club in Birmingham, England. In 2008, he joined the team as President of their Football in the Community charity. He also serves as Vice-Patron of the Welsh Football Association. He often takes part in soccer matches, even playing on the same team as former England international striker Alan Shearer.
He is second in line to the throne
Prince William is second in line to the throne, which makes him the Duke of Cambridge. His full name is William Arthur Philip Louis Mountbatten-Windsor, but he goes by Prince William. He was born on June 21, 1982 and is currently 37 years old.
One of the lesser known facts about Prince William is that he has a passion for sports. He enjoys playing football and his favorite team is Aston Villa. He also has a keen interest in basketball and is an avid fan of the NBA. In fact, he even attended a game between the Toronto Raptors and the Washington Wizards in 2011.
Prince William is also known to be a dedicated patron of several charities, including Centre point, which helps young people facing homelessness. In 2015, he joined forces with former NBA star Dikembe Mutombo to launch a campaign called Nothing But Nets which works to provide mosquito nets to African families to protect them from malaria-carrying mosquitos.
With his royal title and a love for sports, Prince William is certainly an inspiring role model for many.
He is a patron of over 200 charities
Prince William is widely known for his many charitable initiatives and patronage of over 200 charities. Did you know he is also an avid football fan? Prince William has been a lifelong supporter of Aston Villa Football Club, one of the oldest professional football clubs in England. He is also the President of The Football Association, the governing body of English football, and holds honorary presidencies with both the Welsh and Scottish football associations. Prince William is passionate about using the power of sport to create positive social change and is heavily involved in the Heads Up Campaign, a mental health initiative that seeks to use football as a platform to raise awareness about mental health and provide support for those who need it. The Duke supports other sports as well: Prince William was president of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games from 2005-2012 and Patron of Paralympics GB since 2007.
He is an avid polo player
Prince William is not only a member of the British Royal family, he’s also an avid polo player. In fact, he often plays polo with his brother, Prince Harry, and they both have a great passion for the sport. Not many people know this, but Prince William was also a talented footballer growing up. He even played in some local matches and school teams, showing off his impressive skills on the pitch. Though he has since moved away from playing football, it’s clear that his love for the game never faded.
In addition to being a polo player, Prince William is also an RAF Search and Rescue Pilot: And serves as one of two full-time pilots for East Anglia Air Ambulance.
His marriage with Kate Middleton
Prince William and Kate Middleton are one of the most beloved couples in the world. Their wedding in 2011 was watched by millions of people across the globe. Many were enthralled by the love story between two people who were born worlds apart. Here are some interesting facts you may not have known about their relationship.
For starters, Prince William and Kate Middleton met in 2001 while attending St. Andrews University in Scotland. The couple first got to know each other while playing football on the university’s grounds. Prince William even told reporters that it was love at first sight!
They started dating shortly after and kept their relationship private for many years. Eventually, in November 2010, they announced their engagement. After almost a decade of being together, they finally tied the knot on April 29th, 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London.
He is a Certified Pilot
Prince William is not only a member of the British Royal Family, but he is also a certified pilot. He is the first ever future King of England to become a pilot. Prince William has clocked over 150 flying hours in an RAF training helicopter, including an impressive 25-mile trip around the London skyline in 2010.
He has his private pilot’s license and is qualified to fly helicopters, having completed the Defence Helicopter Flying School training programme. He can fly several aircrafts, including a Chinook and Apache helicopter.
