King Charles' Throwback Photo Settles The Debate: Which Son Looks More Like Him?

The royal children have proven time and time again that the royal family's genes are unstoppable — lest we forget Prince George is basically a clone of his father, William, Prince of Wales. However, the resemblance goes back many generations, including what King Charles III's sons inherited from him. Prince William and Prince Harry are the spitting images of their parents, Charles and the late Princess Diana. The former Princess of Wales passed her light hair and bright eyes down to her youngest, Harry, while William seemingly carries the bulk of the traits from his father.

theroyalfamily/Instagram

Pictures of young Charles prove just how uncanny the father and son appear. For example, a throwback image of Charles making a speech in 1970, which was posted on the royal family's Instagram Story, showcased a few of the king's key features, including his prominent ears and wide smile. His sloping nose and defined jaw were also on display — all characteristics that we see in William's visage. His similar smile is apparent in a montage of a young William — including photos of when he was a teenager — from a royal fan page on Instagram. His English-looking nose, outturned ears, slim face, and strong jawline are all part of his resemblance to his father. The prince looks even more like his father whenever he grows out his facial hair. Interestingly, the beard Charles rocked back in the day was reminiscent of his own father and Queen Elizabeth II's husband, Prince Philip.

It seems their faces aren't the only thing they have in common. King Charles and Prince William are aligned in their charitable ventures and are both focused on solving environmental issues. Charles committed to sustainability before it became a cultural movement. He used his own sustainable practices at his Highgrove House estate, where he implemented organic gardens, solar panels, wildlife sanctuaries, and a natural waste system. In his later years, Charles has been outspoken about climate change issues, something he seemingly passed on to William. The prince founded The Earthshot Prize in 2020 to award (with £1 million) five international groups with the most innovation for environmentalism each year. Many celebrities and big names in environmental conservation have participated in the annual award ceremonies, which is how William knows Robert Irwin.

The father and son's equal passion for climate action has purportedly locked them in a race to see who can do more good. In 2021, a source told The Daily Express: "Interestingly, Charles and William seem to be both competing for this image as the environmentalist king-in-waiting." Though it's always been thought that Charles would be crowned the first climate king, William is catching up to that title. However, former deputy private secretary Scott Furssedonn-Wood told People in 2020: "There is no monopoly on action," adding, "The [king] and [William] are delighted that they have parallel opportunities to pursue the same objectives." In this way, it's wonderful to see how much they have in common.