Who are William and Harry of England, the sons of Charles and Diana of Wales?

Prince Charles and Princess Diana married in 1981, in what was celebrated as the “wedding of the century”. An unbelievable 750 million people from around the world tuned in to watch the lavish ceremony in a livestream-less era.

Despite the hype and expectation, the fairy tale did not last- the couple eventually divorced and Diana died tragically a year later- but that union did bear fruit and produce two sons, who were also heirs to the throne.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge

Prince William was born a year after his parents got married, quickly establishing that Charles’ line was secure. William has been next in line to succeed the throne after his father from the moment Diana gave birth to him.

He grew up in Kensington Palace in London, going to school and being privately tutored. He went to Eton College, where his mother’s father and brother also studied. William proved to be quite athletic, and became captain of the school’s swimming and football teams.

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Princess Diana exposed William and Harry to charitable works in their youth, and after graduating from Eton, William continued his involvement in such activities during the gap year that he took, which he spent in Chile.

He then continued his studies at the University of St. Andrews, and after graduating, he decided to pursue a military career. He attended the Royal Military Academy of Sandhurst, then trained in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, thus completing his studies with all three branches of the army. The prince served as a pilot for the Royal Air Force, until he left to assume his responsibilities as a member of the royal family full-time.

In 2011, he was made the Duke of Cambridge, and shortly thereafter, he married Kate Middleton. The two now have three children- Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex

Prince Harry was born in 1984, and his life pretty much followed the pattern of his brother’s. He studied at private schools, went to Eton, then took a gap year to live overseas after graduation. He traveled and worked at a cattle station in Australia and at an orphanage in Lesotho.

Like his brother, he also joined the military. In lieu of attending university, he entered the Royal Military Academy of Sandhurst, and was commissioned an officer soon after finishing training.

Harry, again like his brother, became a pilot and served in Afghanistan. The prince left active military service in 2015.

In 2018, he was made the Duke of Sussex, and in the same year, he married actress Meghan Markle. They have two children, Archie and Lilibet.

The couple made headlines when they stepped down as members of the royal family in 2020. They moved to California and once again generated a lot of interest after they sat down for an interview with Oprah Winfrey, where they talked about mental health concerns, Markle’s take on the British monarchy, and Harry’s estrangement from both his father and his brother.