The Quiet Habit Prince William Shares With Princess Diana

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In his tell-all memoir, "Spare," Prince Harry noted that his older brother, Prince William's, likeness to their late mother, Princess Diana, was waning as he aged. The royal defector even took a jab at William's balding head (pot calling kettle black, Harold?). But while William might not resemble Diana as much as he used to when he was younger, the prince's demeanor still mirrors hers. The People's Princess was known for having a big heart for the ordinary — and often overlooked — people we encounter in our daily lives. And, as it turns out, so does William. The prince had royal watchers drawing comparisons between him and Diana when he made a trip to St. George's Park (England's national football center) ahead of the kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

Instead of fawning over the players, however, William focused on the team working behind the scenes to ensure things run smoothly both on and off the field. "I just wanted to take the opportunity to see the team behind the team today, and to say thank you and good luck to all of you guys who don't get as much acknowledgement or credit as you deserve," the prince enthused during his visit, per People. This isn't the only time William has reminded people of his mother. He previously showed that he has a big place in his heart for those less privileged when he became a patron of The Passage in 2019, an organization that works to eliminate homelessness. 

Diana was notably also a patron of the same organization, and when William was just a child, she brought him along with her on one of her visits there. The experience clearly stuck with William, who launched his own initiative, Homewards, to help make homelessness a problem of the past.

Word has it that Prince William is doing everything he can to ensure his marriage doesn't end up like King Charles III and Princess Diana's, which means doing things differently. He is, however, taking a page out of his mother's book when it comes to putting his family before his royal duties. The steps William is taking to keep his family intact are in line with some predictions Diana made about her oldest son, according to royal expert Russell Meyers' book, "William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story."

According to the author, "Diana had always believed that William was a deep thinker, capable of assessing situations in ways that were wise beyond his years." The People's Princess did her best to set a good example as a mother, showering William and Prince Harry with love when they were kids and ensuring they never felt neglected. "Diana, for one, was not prepared to put the 'rules' of the Crown ahead of her own family's happiness," Meyers noted. And William has been eagerly following in his mother's footsteps. 

Royal correspondent for Sky News Rhiannon Mills profiled him in May 2025, and she confirmed that the prince is intent on putting his family first. "There is family to consider, in a way that past generations just haven't," Mills clarified. "Their [William and Princess Catherine's] working diaries are now arranged around their children. They've made no secret of that." While William's refusal to let his royal duties trump the ones he has as a father led to grumblings that he's "workshy," we reckon that Diana would be proud.

Prince Harry might think Prince William is gradually losing his physical likeness to their mother, but most royal pundits don't agree. One might even go as far as to wonder whether the prince being so critical of his little brother's appearance has more to do with Harry and William's years-long feud than any actual, factual evidence. In April 2026, a royal fan took to Facebook to post side-by-side photographs of William and Princess Diana, both sporting the same cheeky smile and mischievous look. The resemblance was uncanny, and not even the bald spot on William's head that Harry felt the need to point out in "Spare" took away from the obvious resemblance. 

Another fan account on TikTok posted a video in 2023 showing how many of William and Diana's mannerisms are the same too. Fans adored the since-deleted clip, affirming the similarities in the comments. As one pointed out, "William has SO many of his Mumʻs mannerisms!......I can see her in his face and expressions," per Newsweek. Added another, "The smirk, the smile and the eyes are the same."