Royal gardener reveals what Prince William was like growing up

Prince William turns 44 this weekend, and as we did in January with his wife, Kate Middleton, we’ve taken a trip down memory lane.

So, for those nosy about what William was like in his younger years, you’ve come to the right place.

Jack Stooks, a former royal gardener who worked for the royal family for over two decades, has shared some insight about the future King.

Speaking to Smooth Spins, he

Here’s everything you need to know:

Prince William’s relationship with Prince Harry

First up, Stooks spoke about how Prince William and Prince Harry were super close growing up.

‘Prince William has always been very family-oriented,’ says Stooks. ‘When he was younger, both he and Harry would be together everywhere.’

The former gardener revealed that even when the brothers began dating — they are now estranged following Harry and Meghan’s departure from royal life in 2020 — they’d still move in the same circles.

‘Then they started dating people, and William was with Kate Middleton and Harry was with Chelsea [Davy]. You’d see them all in the kitchen together chatting to the chef, and it was just a very normal, happy way of life.

‘They would have barbeques at the weekend and have friends over to visit.’ 

William’s 21st birthday versus his 44th

When you get older, birthdays tend to become more low-key. This is even true for royals, according to Stooks.

Despite describing William as a ‘private person,’ he recalls how he had a huge bash at Windsor Castle for his 21st birthday.

However, these days, celebrations are slightly more muted. Stooks explains: ‘We don’t normally see him do a lot of big events for his birthday now. He’s naturally grown up.

‘I think it just got to a point when, especially when Kate and William got engaged, there was a big shift and they decided not to share a lot of their personal lives.

‘It’s quite nice to see the couple keeping some things to themselves.’

How William has changed since marrying Kate

Stooks also claims that, since marrying Kate in 2011, William has become a ‘lot more serious.’

But not necessarily in a bad way — as future king, he’s just inherited a lot more responsibilities. Coupled with the world watching him 24/7, it’s natural he’s going to be a bit more reserved.

‘He’s trying to be seen as somebody that can be taken seriously,’ Stooks says, adding that William’s actions are ‘very much in line with what the king has taken on, especially with his roles in the environment and with wildlife.

‘Following on from his father, he’s going to do a great job going forward.’

How William navigates fame

That said, being a prince in the 21st century means you have social media and the ‘celebrity’ concept to contend with.

Long are the days of the royals being a mysterious entity, with the public having no clue what goes on behind closed doors.

Rather, William is a prince just as much as he is a public figure, and it’s a job he needs to balance.

In this respect, Stooks believes William is being a ‘little bit more cautious when it comes to the celebrity side of things.’

Stooks calls this a ‘good thing,’ as he thinks the Prince of Wales wants to stand out a little bit more than simply being known as a celeb.

He gives an example: ‘For instance, I saw him going on a radio station the other week and he was talking about the Duchy of Cornwall. It’s something that he’s trying to change and achieve in his own way, and he’s trying to take the Duchy of Cornwall in his own direction.

‘He’s not as seen as some of the other royal members and he has more of a home mindset.’

Stooks also says that the way William navigates fame has changed over the years.

The former butler remembers when he first started working for the royals, William was ‘slightly more reserved’ during interviews.

‘He’s a lot more natural when you see him being interviewed now,’ he says. But it makes sense, Stooks adds, as he’s ‘so much more used to it than he was.

‘He is definitely doing them a lot more and they come more naturally. He’s definitely a lot more confident than he was.’

The differences between Prince William and King Charles

Finally, Stooks weighs in on Prince William and King Charles’ relationship.

While he says William is ‘cut from the same cloth as the king,’ the difference between father and son is the ‘king works day and night.’

Stooks claims that ‘Charles is such a workaholic, whereas William appears slightly more family-oriented and takes time out of his work life to concentrate on his personal life.’

He makes sure to add that there is ‘definitely no right or wrong way,’ it’s just a different way of doing things.

He continues: ‘I think William is trying to streamline the role rather than do what his father does.’

This comes after Will and Kate have made it clear they want to modernise the monarchy, which includes a ‘slimmed-down’ version of the ‘firm.’

‘[William] is definitely more shy, and some may feel he does not work as intensively as the king did when he was Prince of Wales.’

He adds that King Charles ‘effectively turned the position into a full-time public mission,’ with a ‘relentless schedule and appearing at a huge number of engagements.’

Whereas William has ‘chosen to focus on a smaller number of priorities.’

‘He remains active in the areas that he cares more about, such as environmental conservation and his support for wildlife protection in Africa.’

Rather than accepting every opportunity, Stooks concludes that ‘William is more selective, concentrating his efforts on a more focused set of causes and engagements.’