Prince William turns 40! See the royal’s remarkable life in photos

Happy birthday, Prince William! The Duke of Cambridge is celebrating his 40th birthday on June 21.

In honor of his milestone birthday, here’s a look back at his life through the years, from his earliest school days, to his years in the military, to his more recent life as a dad, husband and future king.

1982: Prince William is born

Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana welcomed their first child, Prince William, on June 21, 1982. A day later, his mother cradled him as she and her husband left the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital — where William’s children would one day be born.

1984: Preparing to be a big brother

Shortly before his second birthday, William sported adorable blue dungarees as he posed for this photo with his parents at Kensington Palace in London.

At the time, Diana was six months pregnant with her second son, Prince Harry.

1985: Royal family vacation

William traveled with his parents from a very young age. In April 1985, not long before his third birthday, he and Harry were photographed on board the Royal Yacht Britannia during a trip to Venice, Italy.

1988: Early wedding duties

At age 6, Prince William was a page boy at the wedding of Camilla Dunne and Rupert Soames in Hereford, England. He sported pink suspenders and seemed a little bemused by the antics of his fellow page boys and flower girls.

1991: Skiing holiday with Princess Diana

William, 8, and Harry, 6, posed with their mother during a skiing holiday in Lech, Austria, on April 9, 1991. This was reportedly William and Harry’s first time skiing.

1995: First day at Eton

William, 13, sported a suit and tie as he arrived for his first day at the prestigious Eton College on Sept. 6, 1995.

Before Eton, he attended the Ludgrove School, a prep school for boys aged 8 to 13.

1997: The death of Princess Diana

William was 15 years old when his mother died in a car accident on Aug. 31, 1997. He and Harry, who was 12 at the time, were photographed at her funeral in London a week later.

In a 2021 speech, William opened up about the “dark days of grief” that followed his mother’s death.

2000: Later school days

William, seen here at age 18, was a prefect at Eton and was apparently also a member of the Eton Society, also known as “Pop.”

Members of that elite society of prefects were encouraged to wear colorful waistcoats of their own design, according to the luxury British gentleman’s retailer New & Lingwood.

2000: Post-Eton gap year

The prince took a gap year between finishing Eton and beginning university. He spent part of that year as a volunteer with the adventure charity Raleigh International in Chile, where he used logs to construct walkways.

2003: Celebrating the queen

In June 2003, while still a student at University of St Andrews in Scotland, 20-year-old Prince William posed for a photo that included three generations of the royal family: his grandparents, Queen Elizabeth and the late Prince Philip, and his father, Prince Charles.

The photo marked the 50th anniversary of the queen’s coronation.

2008: Military days

After finishing university in 2005, William turned to a military career. In June 2008, shortly before his 26th birthday, the prince trained with the Royal Navy as part of his training with the Royal Air Force.

The prince went on to spend three years as a search and rescue pilot with the Royal Air Force.

2008: Christmas at Sandringham

Sporting a rarely seen beard, the 26-year-old prince spent Christmas Day in 2008 at Sandringham House, in keeping with royal tradition.

2010: Engagement to Kate Middleton

In 2010, William announced his engagement to Kate Middleton, now known as the Duchess of Cambridge, as she sported a sapphire ring that belonged to the late Princess Diana. The two had been college sweethearts, and they looked happy and in love in their engagement photos.

2011: A royal wedding

William and Kate tied the knot April 29, 2011, in a lavish ceremony sealed with a kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London.

2013: Expanding the family

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed their first child, Prince George, on July 22, 2013. As they left the hospital the following day, they posed for photos on the steps of the Lindo Wing, just as Princess Diana and Prince Charles did when their children were born.

2014: The Invictus Games

William and Harry are seen together before watching the inaugural Invictus Games in London in 2014. Harry founded the Invictus Games as a way to give wounded service members the chance to compete in an international sporting event.

2016: Family adventures

By 2016, William and Kate had welcomed their second child, Princess Charlotte, who was born in May 2, 2015.

They took a vacation as a family of four in March of the following year, getting away for a short ski break in the French Alps.

2018: Prince Harry's wedding

William served as best man for his brother, Harry, when he tied the knot with Meghan Markle, now known as the Duchess of Sussex, in Windsor, England.

2018: Life as a family of five

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed their third child, Prince Louis, on April 23, 2018.

Later that year, they posed with all three of their children in a photo marking Prince Charles’ 70th birthday. They were joined by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

2019: A family balcony appearance

In 2019, William and Kate appeared with all three of their children on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London as they watched the traditional Trooping the Color parade.

2020: Supporting COVID-19 care workers

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, William and his family joined people around the United Kingdom in clapping for health care workers as part of the BBC Children In Need and Comic Relief “Big Night In” in London.

2021: A glamorous night on the town

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enjoyed an elegant night out as they attended the world premiere of the James Bond film “No Time To Die” on Sept. 28, 2021, in London.

2021: A milestone anniversary

In April 2021, William and Kate celebrated a decade of marriage, sharing a sweet photo that echoed their official engagement portrait.

2022: The Platinum Jubilee

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as well as their three children, played a major role in Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022. They appeared on the balcony during the Trooping the Color procession, with both William and his father, Charles, looking every part future kings.

2022: Celebrating eight years of fatherhood

For Father’s Day 2022, Kensington Palace shared an adorable photo of William with his three children: Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 7, and Prince Louis, 4, with a caption reading, “Wishing a Happy Father’s Day to fathers and grandfathers across the world today!”