HRH Prince William At 40

 His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge celebrates his 40th birthday on 21st June. Prince William was born in the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, Paddington and is the eldest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales. 

 William was born and is still 2nd in line to the British throne after his father Prince Charles. His birth was the cause for jubilation throughout Britain, the Commonwealth and indeed the world - with his father and mother's romance and marriage being followed by millions. 

The young prince was baptised in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace on 4th August, 1982- the Queen Mother's 82nd birthday.

 Home for the Wales family was apartments 8 & 9 Kensington Palace and Highgrove House near Tetbury, Gloucestershire. After the separation of the Prince and Princess in 1992, Charles used St James's Palace as a London residence and kept Highgrove for weekends. Diana remained at Kensington Palace until her death in 1997.

Young William was educated at Mrs Mynors Nursery, Wetherby Prep, Ludgrove boarding school in Berkshire, Eton in Windsor followed by St Andrew's University in Scotland. It was here at St Andrew's that William met fellow student Catherine Middleton and romance blossomed after around 12 months in 2002. The couple would end up sharing a flat, and later a house near the university. 

William went on to Sandhurst Military Academy before joining the RAF. He became a helicopter pilot and his last posting was to RAF Valley in Angelsey, Wales where he served as a search and rescue pilot. Just after Prince George was born, William finished in the RAF and took a year to learn broader skills related to his future role in the royal family and as a land manager for the various properties owned by Duchy of Cornwall. 

Catherine and William married in April 2011 and have three children- Prince George ( 2013), Princess Charlotte ( 2015) and Prince Louis ( 2018). The family have homes at Apartment 1A Kensington Palace and Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. It is strongly rumoured that the family will be moving to Adelaide Cottage next to Windsor Castle in the coming months, with the children to start at a new school nearby. Kensington Palace would remain an office and base for London duties. 

I remember the day Prince William was born and waiting for the next day's newspapers with photos of "baby Wales" as he was known until officially named. Many changes will come for the prince in the coming years when Her Majesty passes away and Prince Charles becomes king. William will then be invested as Prince of Wales and become Duke of Cornwall. 

Many happy returns to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge.