Prince William's style inspired by key royal - and it's not King Charles or Princess Diana
The Prince of Wales, who was brought up with the knowledge that he would one day ascend to the throne, is beginning to exhibit traits of the kind of leader he will become - and it's evident he takes after a significant royal figure.
The exact moment when King Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales informed William about his future role remains unknown. However, from an early age, he began receiving 'training' for his impending responsibilities. Following his parents' separation, the late Queen initiated a new tradition - Sunday lunches with her grandson, which has significantly influenced the man he has become today.
"The prince takes his style from his royal grandmother, who intervened as the marriage of William's parents dissolved in 1995," Robert Lacey, a royal historian and author of the best-selling book Battle of the Brothers, told PEOPLE.
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"The 13-year-old was in a fragile place - alone and just starting boarding at the elite Eton College across the river from Windsor. Concerned for her grandson's emotional state, the Queen invited William up to join her when Eton boys went home for the weekend."
Royal author Robert has revealed that the intimate lunches between Queen Elizabeth and Prince William, who is second in line to the throne, were actually the brainchild of Prince Philip. "Philip was crucial in helping coach William as a future King," he explained.
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"It was Philip's idea to set up the lunches between William and his grandmother. When the time came for the Queen to talk business with William, Philip would quietly excuse himself because he didn't feel that the constitutional side of the Queen's job was something he wanted to interfere in."
Emulating his late grandmother's stoic mantra, Prince William has adopted the 'never complain, never explain' policy. Amidst a barrage of criticism from his brother Harry towards the monarchy, William has remained silent, concentrating on his duties, except for one rare occasion when he publicly denied allegations of racism within the Royal Family.
Renowned body language expert Judi James has observed that Prince William mirrors his late grandmother by radiating a sense of 'authority', yet maintains an effortlessly charming demeanour.
She told Woman and Home: "Like his grandmother though, William appears to be working up a very charming and disarming social smile." She continues: "Previously a man who was rather wary of the press and photo-opportunities, William now seems to have honed his social skills with what looks like encouragement and example-setting from Kate."
Judi went on to highlight that William's "hugely affable" smile is also reflective of his late grandmother, saying it "looks as congruent as those worn by The Queen on visits, with the cheeks raised and rounded and the eyes narrowed and crinkled in an eye-smile".