On 21 June 1982, the United Kingdom's future king, Prince ‘Baby Wales’ William, was born at 9 PM at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, weighing 7lb 1oz.
However, Princess Diana's pregnancy had not been easy, and her labour lasted a gruelling 16 hours and was closely monitored by the Queen’s surgeon, George Pinker. Diana even experienced a sudden increase in temperature, which was a matter of concern for the health of the baby. The doctors even considered a Caesarean one. Nonetheless, she gave birth to William naturally, after an epidural.
Then Prince Charles stayed beside Diana throughout the delivery. She gave birth standing up, with Charles supporting her.
When Queen Elizabeth met her grandson for the first time, she reportedly joked about one trait. Royal biographer Andrew Morton recalled, “As she looked at the tiny bundle, she said drily: ‘Thank goodness he hasn't got ears like his father’,” alluding to Charles’s famously large ears. In fact, Prince Philip once quipped that baby Charles looked like a “plum pudding.”
Charles and Diana didn't initially agree to name their child William
When it came to naming their firstborn, Charles and Diana didn’t see eye to eye. Then, the Prince of Wales reportedly preferred names like Arthur and Albert for his sons. She, however, had other ideas, choosing the names William and Harry instead. Interestingly, Prince William's name even paid tribute to William the Conqueror.
{{/usCountry}}When it came to naming their firstborn, Charles and Diana didn’t see eye to eye. Then, the Prince of Wales reportedly preferred names like Arthur and Albert for his sons. She, however, had other ideas, choosing the names William and Harry instead. Interestingly, Prince William's name even paid tribute to William the Conqueror.
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William was christened a few weeks later, on 4 August 1982, his great-grandmother’s 82nd birthday. The ceremony took place in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace, and though it was a grand affair, William reportedly cried throughout the photos.
Years later, Diana revealed that the occasion had been more isolating than celebratory for her. She said, “Nobody asked if the timing suited William,” and admitted feeling “completely excluded” from the planning.
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The Royal couple made a conscious effort to give William as normal a childhood as possible. Lively and full of energy, he earned the nickname ‘Basher Billy’ in nursery school. But despite the attempts to shield him from royal pressures, William soon began to understand that his life would be very different from that of other children.