Prince William and Prince Harry’s cutest brother photos through the years

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British royals Prince William and Prince Harry grew up in the spotlight and were thrust even more into it after the death of their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997. The two brothers seem to have weathered the attention by supporting each other.

In a 2005 BBC interview, Harry said it’s “amazing how close” he and William have become.

“Ever since our mother died, obviously we were close, but he is the one person on this earth who I can actually really … we can talk about anything,” he said. “We understand each other and we give each other support.”

Here’s a photographic highlight of the royal brothers’ sweet relationship over the years.

Prince William Is Born

Prince William was born on June 21, 1982, just under a year after his parents — Prince Charles and Princess Diana — wed in the wedding of the decade on July 29, 1981.

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Prince Harry Is Born

Prince William was born June 21, 1982, and his brother, Harry, followed on Sept. 15, 1984. In this photo, William is leaving the hospital with his nanny after meeting his new baby brother for the first time. How sweet!

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Prince Willaim Hams It Up

In this photo, the elder prince hams it up for the British royal family on Dec. 21, 1984, as they prepare to take photos in honor of 3-month-old Harry’s christening.

The photo was taken at Windsor Castle, with Queen Elizabeth II seated next to Princess Diana, baby Harry and Prince Charles. The queen mother, Elizabeth’s mom, sits to her right.

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Royal Travels

The royal brothers have taken many trips together, but this one in May 1985 was one of their early jaunts. The two brothers are shown reunited with their parents on the Royal Yacht Brittania in Venice, Italy, after a couple weeks of separation. William can be seen waving to onlookers and the press from the boat.

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Musical Stylings

During an Oct. 4, 1985, photo session at their Kensington Palace home, William and Harry mimicked playing the piano in an adorable moment caught on film.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - OCTOBER 04: Prince William Giggling With His Hand Over His Mouth As He And His Baby Brother, Prince Harry, Pretend To Play The Piano During A Private Photo Session At Their Home, Kensington Palace. (Photo by Tim Graham/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tim Graham/Getty Images)

Playful Ribbing

In a 2007 BBC interview to promote the Concert for Diana, a charity event marking the 10th anniversary of their mother’s death, Harry and William joked about the music they liked.

“It’s a lot better than his rubbish,” Harry said of his older brother’s musical tastes.

William, for his part, said that as teens, the two brothers would each try and drown out the other with his music from their respective rooms. “Before you know it, our father would come upstairs and tell us to shut the hell up,” he said while laughing.

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A Helping Hand

William took the duty of brother’s keeper seriously in this Oct. 22, 1985 photo. Here the elder boy helps the younger one take some of his first steps. The photo was taken in the boys’ Kensington Palace playroom with the boys wearing matching shirts.

“I genuinely think she got satisfaction out of dressing myself and William up in the most bizarre outfits, normally matching,” Harry recalled of his late mother in a 2017 HBO documentary, “Diana, Our Mother.” “It was weird shorts and, like, shiny shoes with the old clip-ons. And looking back at the photos, it just makes me laugh. I just think, ‘How could you do that to us?!’

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Visiting Famous Friends

The British royal family paid a visit to the Spanish royal family, as captured in this 1986 photo. Prince William looks relaxed on the lap of King Juan Carlos of Spain at the Marivent Palace on the island of Majorca.

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First Day Of School

In this photo, William is shown along with his little brother and parents for Harry’s first day at Mrs. Mynor’s nursery school in London on Sept. 16, 1987. The two boys are again wearing coordinated outfits.

“Funny enough, we got to the age when William would turn around and go, ‘This is ridiculous, I’m the older brother, why do I have to be dressed the same as him?'” Harry said in “Diana, Our Mother.” “And I’m sort of sitting there going, ‘Hang on a second, if you’re going to dress differently, I’m not going to be the only person dressed like this. This is just ridiculous.'”

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Playmates

The beauty of having a sibling is that you’ve got a built-in playmate. The two princes seemed to play well together under the watchful eye of their mother, Diana, in this July 18, 1986, photo. It was taken in the garden of Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, a two-hour drive west of London. William and Harry wore matching Parachute Regiment of the British Army uniforms.

Tim Graham/Getty Images

Schoolmates

Princess Diana took her sons to a Christmas concert at their school, Wetherby School, in London, on Dec. 13, 1989.

In “Diana, Our Mother,” Harry looked at their mother’s personal photo book with William. Of a school photo of them both, he said with humor, “I was thinking, ‘I’ve got my older brother at school, he’ll be looking look out for me’ — when in fact, you just ignored me.”

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - DECEMBER 13: Diana (C), Princess of Wales, takes her sons Prince William (L) and Prince Harry (R) to the Christmas Carol Concert at Wetherby School on December 13, 1989 in London, England. (Photo by Georges De Keerle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Georges De Keerle/Getty Images)

Harry Looks Up To His Big Brother

Clearly Prince Harry has looked up to his big brother since he was a little tyke. This photo captured his adoring eyes on Harry’s first day of school.

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Royal Salute

The two princes caught a ride on a police motorbike while visiting Windsor as kids. Looks like fun!

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Fun With Mum

Of their “mum,” Diana, William has said, “She was very informal and really enjoyed the laughter and the fun, but she understood there was a real life outside palace walls and she wanted us to see it for a very young age.”

Here, the three are all smiles while on a skiing holiday in Austria in March 1993.

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No ‘Ordinary’ Mum

Here the two princes and their mother visit Thorpe Park amusement park near London on April 13, 1993. Princess Diana was known for taking the boys to “ordinary” places like fast food restaurants, movies and along on some of her charity work.

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Sending Prince William Off To Eton

The family was all smiles in 1995 on Prince William’s first day of high school at Eton, the exclusive boarding school that both boys attended. Princess Diana and Prince Charles divorced the following year.

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Hiking Around Balmoral With Dad

The two princes spent some time with their dad, Prince Charles, at Balmoral in August 1997 — just a couple weeks before Diana’s tragic death.

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Losing Their Mother

When Diana died in a car crash in 1997, William was 15 years old and Harry was 12. The two brothers mourned largely in private. But they did walk side-by-side behind her coffin at her funeral procession on Sept. 6, 1997. Here the solemn-faced princes can be seen outside Westminster Abbey where Diana’s funeral took place. William looks as if he is checking on his little brother in a brief glance.

LONDON- SEPTEMBER 6: (FILE PHOTO) Prince William and Prince Harry stand outside Westminster Abbey at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales on September 6, 1997 in London, England. (Photo by Anwar Hussein/Getty Images)
(Photo by Anwar Hussein/Getty Images)

Hanging With Dad

William and Harry have grown closer to their father, Charles, over the years, particularly after their mother’s passing. The trio seems to have a warm banter between them when interviewed together.

Here, the next in line to the British throne and his two sons are pictured in the Swiss Alps in March 2002 during an annual ski holiday together.

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Celebrating Grandma’s Birthday

The princes are seen here in a June 14, 2003 photo taken during the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London. The annual event is for Elizabeth’s official birthday. The pair have made many public appearances at the parade over the years.

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Co-Pilots And Roomies

Both of the princes have served in the military. At one point, they were doing military helicopter training together in 2009 at RAF Shawbury, and they lived together during that period as well.

In an interview at the time, William jokingly complained that Harry let him do all the cooking and still left behind dirty dishes in the sink. For his part, Harry said it would be “the first and last time living together” (as adults) in the same quarters.

SHAWBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 18: TRH Prince William and Prince Harry pose in front of a Griffin helicopter during a photocall at RAF Shawbury on June 18, 2009 in Shawbury, England. Both the Princes are currently on their military helicopter training courses at RAF Shawbury. The base is home of the Defence Helicopter Flying School. Prince William's course will remain at Shawbury until 2010 while Prince Harry will remain at the base until Autumn 2009. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Tied Together

The princes have shared charity efforts together over the years. During a trip to Africa in 2010, the brothers visited charities they supported in Botswana, Lesotho and South Africa.

In this photo, an African rock python snakes its way between the pair at one of those charities, the Mokolodi Education Centre in Gaborone, Botswana.

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William’s Wedding

Not only did Harry sign off on William using their mother’s engagement ring for William’s future wife, Kate Middleton, Harry also backed him up as his best man at the pair’s 2011 wedding. The choice to have a best man broke with royal precedent, as normally male royals only have “supporters.”

Here, the groom and his best man talk before the April 29 wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 29: (L-R) Prince Harry and Prince William Duke of Cambridge inside Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England. The marriage of Prince William, the second in line to the British throne, to Catherine Middleton is being held in London today. The Archbishop of Canterbury conducted the service which was attended by 1900 guests, including foreign Royal family members and heads of state. Thousands of well-wishers from around the world have also flocked to London to witness the spectacle and pageantry of the Royal Wedding and street parties are being held throughout the UK. (Photo by Andrew Milligan - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Andrew Milligan – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Wizarding Whizzes

Even the royals are Harry Potter fans. In this fun photo, Harry, Duchess Kate and William, wave wands on the Harry Potter Diagon Alley set in London. The occasion was the opening of the Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden, on April 26, 2013.

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 26: Prince Harry, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge raise their wands on the set used to depict Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter Films during the Inauguration Of Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden on April 26, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Jackson – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Spending Time With Stepmum

Camilla Parker-Bowles, William and Harry’s stepmother, has at times been demonized in the press and by the public for contributing to the breakup of Charles and Diana’s marriage. But the princes apparently get along great with her today.

In a 2005 BBC interview, Prince Harry said the Duchess of Cornwall was “a wonderful woman and she’s made our father very, very happy, which is the most important thing … William and I love her to bits. To be honest with you, she’s always been very close to me and William … but no, she’s not the wicked stepmother. I’ll say that right now.”

The boys, their father and the Duchess of Cornwall, are seen here sharing a laugh at the opening ceremonies of the 2014 Invictus games in London.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - SEPTEMBER 10: (L-R) Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Prince Harry laugh during the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games at the Queen Elizabeth Park on September 10, 2014 in east London, England. The Invictus Games which will run from September 10-14, is an international sporting event for wounded servicemen and women from 13 countries. (Photo by Luke MacGregor/WPA Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Luke MacGregor/WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Friendly Competitors

William and Harry are avid polo players along with their father, Charles. They also frequently tease each other about their athletic prowess. During a 2012 London Olympics TV interview, Harry reminded the interviewer that, “At least I can play sports. William really generally has nothing behind him.”

In this July 14, 2013, photo, the brothers smile after a polo match at Cirencester Park Polo Club, which is a few hours outside of London.

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Football Rivals

In July 2014, while visiting the Coach Core project at Gorbals Leisure Centre in Glasgow, Scotland, the brothers played five-a-side football (soccer). They’ve previously shared that they support different football teams, with Prince Harry backing Arsenal and Prince William supporting Aston Villa.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - JULY 29: Prince Harry and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge play 5 a side football during a visit to the Coach Core project at Gorbals Leisure Centre on July 29, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Jamie Simpson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jamie Simpson – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Polo Rivals

“They are very competitive,” Charles said in 2006, recalling playing on the same team as his two sons. “Silly old father, get on with it,” he recalled jokingly of the young princes’ urging on of their more seasoned father. (That game ended in a hospital visit for Charles, who fell from his horse trying to keep up.)

At a different match, pictured here, Harry played for team Royal Salute and William played for team Piaget at a charity polo event at the Beaufort Polo Club on June 14, 2015, in Tetbury, England.

TETBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 14: Prince Harry plays for team Royal Salute and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge plays for team Piaget at the Gigaset Charity Polo Match at Beaufort Polo Club on June 14, 2015 in Tetbury, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Gigaset Mobile)
(Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Gigaset Mobile)

Building Together

William and Harry toured a building site as part of the BBC TV series “DIY SOS” in September 2015. The brothers helped renovate homes for former service members as part of the show. Harry, in particular, has championed veterans through his Invictus Games and other efforts.

MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM - SEPTEMBER 23: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry tour a building site as work continues to help renovate homes for ex-service personnel as part of the BBC television DIY SOS series on September 23, 2015 in Manchester, England. Prince William and Prince Harry visited Manchester on Wednesday where they helped to renovate homes for ex-service personnel as part of the BBC television DIY SOS series. (Photo by Phil Noble - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Phil Noble – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Lightsaber Duel

Sometimes you just need to call your brother out in a duel. A lightsaber duel, that is. The princes toured the England set of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” on April 19, 2016, met cast and crew members and got to try out some of the props. Not only that, the duo actually served as extras in the movie, appearing as Stormtroopers.

IVER HEATH, ENGLAND - APRIL 19: Prince Harry (L) and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge try out light sabres during a tour of the Star Wars sets at Pinewood studios on April 19, 2016 in Iver Heath, England. Prince William and Prince Harry are touring Pinewood studios to visit the production workshops and meet the creative teams working behind the scenes on the Star Wars films. (Photo by Adrian Dennis-WPA Pool/Getty IMages)
(Photo by Adrian Dennis-WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Kidding Around

William and Harry greeted children at a World Mental Health Day celebration with Heads Together at the London Eye on Oct. 10, 2016.

Harry, who now has two nephews and one niece via his brother, William, and sister-in-law, Kate, made a humorous comment in September 2014 when the Duchess of Cambridge was expecting her second child.

“I can’t wait to see my brother suffer more,” he said, tongue firmly in cheek. “With any luck it’s a girl, and he will suffer even greater. I’d love to see him try and cope with that.”

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 10: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (R) and Prince Harry are greeted by children as they attend the World Mental Health Day celebration with Heads Together at the London Eye on October 10, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Racing

In a BBC Radio 1 interview in April 2017, William talked about a recent footrace between himself, Harry and Kate.

“We’d all agreed, we’re just going to do like a show run,” William said. “Then I turn around and I see the glint in my brother’s eye. And I see the grin that my wife’s got. And then I’m like, ‘All right, it’s on.'”

For the record, Harry won that race at the Team Heads Together London Marathon Training Day at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Feb. 5, 2017, in London.

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 05: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry race during the Team Heads Together at a London Marathon Training Day at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on February 5, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Alastair Grant-Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alastair Grant-Pool/Getty Images)

Supporting Each Other

“My brother was a huge blessing,” Harry said in an April 2017 Telegraph interview about William’s support of his younger brother seeking grief counseling years after their mother’s death.

“He kept saying ‘This is not right, this is not normal — you need to talk about stuff. It’s not normal to think that nothing’s affected you.'” Harry said. “All of a sudden, all of this grief that I have never processed started to come to the forefront.”

Here, the princes visit the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace near the 20th anniversary of Diana’s death, on Aug. 30, 2017. The garden has been dedicated to their mother’s memory.

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: (L-R) , Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry are seen during a visit to The Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace on August 30, 2017 in London, England. The garden has been transformed into a White Garden dedicated in the memory of Princess Diana, mother of The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry. (Photo by Kirsty Wigglesworth- WPA Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kirsty Wigglesworth- WPA Pool/Getty Images)

On The Red Carpet

Being a royal clearly has its perks and the brothers took advantage of them in December 2017, when they attended the European premiere of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” They even got to meet the feisty little droid BB-8 on the red carpet!

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 12: (L-R) Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry attend the European Premiere of 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' at Royal Albert Hall on December 12, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Eddie Mulholland - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Eddie Mulholland – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Brotherly Love

“He’s definitely got more brains than me. I think we’ve established that from school,” Harry said in a June 2009 interview about helicopter pilot training the two did at the same time. “But when it comes to all that, I’m much better hands on.”

William chimed in, “I’ve got more looks as well, so …” To which Harry batted back: “Baldness.”

“That’s pretty rich coming from a ginger,” William replied, commenting on his brother’s red hair, not willing to give him the last word.

Speaking of jovial jousting, the two princes exchanged looks during the April 26, 2018, opening of the Greenhouse Sports Centre in London, not too long before Harry married Meghan Markle.

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 26: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry attend the opening of the Greenhouse Sports Centre on April 26, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Toby Melville - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Toby Melville – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Greeting The Public

Harry announced his engagement to American actress Meghan Markle in Nov. 2017. Brother William seemed happy and supportive of the couple when he spoke to reporters shortly after the engagement.

“We’re very excited, delighted for them both. We’re wishing them all the happiness in this very exciting time,” William said, before getting in a little brotherly ribbing. “For me personally, I hope it means he stays out of my fridge and will stop scrounging my food, which he’s done for the last few years!”

William was at Harry’s side when he did a surprise walkabout to greet well-wishers in Windsor on May 18, 2018, the day before the wedding.

WINDSOR, ENGLAND - MAY 18: (L-R) Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry greet members of the public as they embark on a walkabout ahead of the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on May 18, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Jonathan Brady - Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jonathan Brady – Pool/Getty Images)

Standing Together At Harry’s Wedding

Harry asked William to be the best man at his wedding, just as William had asked Harry to be his in 2011. And, at the May 19, 2018, royal wedding at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, the princes wore matching outfits once again. They are seen in almost identical Blues and Royals frock coat uniforms. Mom certainly would have approved.

WINDSOR, ENGLAND - MAY 19: Prince Harry with his Best Man, the Duke of Cambridge wait for the start of his wedding ceremony to Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Owen Humphreys - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Owen Humphreys – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

A Foursome

Now both married, Harry and William looked happy coupled off together at the Royal Air Force centenary celebrations on July 10, 2018, at Buckingham Palace. Now that he’s married, Harry and his wife, Meghan, are known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. William and Kate, meanwhile, became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they wed.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 10: (L-R) Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge watch the RAF flypast on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, as members of the Royal Family attend events to mark the centenary of the RAF on July 10, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Always Connected

This Sept. 11, 2014, image of the two brother princes captures their true bond. It was taken at the Invictus Games in London that year. The games bring wounded warriors from various countries together in sports. Harry came up with the idea for the event after attending a similar one in the U.S.

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: (EDITORS NOTE: THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO BLACK AND WHITE) Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and his brother Prince Harry hug as the Duke leaves during the Invictus Games athletics at Lee Valley on September 11, 2014 in London, England.The International sports event for 'wounded warriors', presented by Jaguar Land Rover was an idea developed by Prince Harry after he visited the Warrior Games in Colorado USA. The four day event has brought together thirteen teams from around the world to compete in nine events such as wheelchair basketball and sitting volleyball. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
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About the Author
Anna Weaver
Anna Weaver is a writer and multimedia journalist from Hawaii. Her two young kids keep her on her toes and hooked on online shopping. Anna’s also a fan of movies, reading, photography, and sharing far too many IG stories about cute dogs and capybaras.

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