Prince William is his father King Charles III’s direct heir — and he couldn’t be more proud of his dad’s accomplishments.

Nearly one year after Charles wed the late Princess Diana in 1980, they revealed that they were expecting their first child. William arrived in June 1982. As the pair’s firstborn, the duke became His Majesty’s direct heir in the British line of succession.

The Prince of Wales — who inherited Charles’ longtime тιтle in September 2022 — became a big brother in September 1984 when Charles and Diana welcomed second son Prince Harry.

Charles and Diana — who died at age 36 in a fatal car crash in August 1997 — finalized their divorce in 1996, and the now-king’s relationships with his sons soon fractured. While the brothers felt torn over choosing sides amid their parents’ breakup, they found solace in Charles after Diana’s death.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

William continued to grow closer to his father after exchanging vows with Princess Kate in April 2011. The couple’s three children — sons Prince George and Prince Louis and daughter Princess Charlotte — have formed their own strong bonds with Charles over the years.

Charles was blessed and anointed as monarch in May 2023 alongside wife Queen Camilla, whom he married in 2005.

Scroll below to revisit William and Charles’ relationship highs and lows through the years: