For Prince William becoming a big brother was a delightful experience, which he took to like a duck to water, according to his father. The Duke will be hoping that when the Duchess of Cambridge, née Kate Middleton, gives birth to their second child, Prince George will be just as thrilled.
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Prince William after meeting his baby brother for the first time
It was late on the afternoon of September 15, 1984 when Princess Diana finally gave birth to Prince Harry after a nine-hour labour. The next morning, William, hand-in-hand with Prince Charles, arrived at the Lindo Wing, the private maternity ward of St Mary's Hospital, where he himself had come into the world, two years previously.
The blond-haired little boy gave a squeal of delight as he ran down the corridor to see his mother, probably not quite understanding that he was about to meet the newest member of the family too.
Diana, who had been a nursery nurse and was a dab hand at dealing with children even before she had her own, slipped out of bed to greet him at the door of her room. "Wills darling come here ," she said.
Princess Diana leaves hospital with Harry the day after his birth in September 1984
No one need have worried. When the toddler emerged 15 minutes later, this time guided by his nanny Barbara Barnes, he gave the press and well-wishers a confident wave. The visit had been a success.
In the days that follow Charles told a groundsman: "William has taken to the new baby like a duck to water.
"It's worth a guinea a minute watching him enjoy himself. He's been climbing in and out of Harry's cot. "The boys' maternal grandfather Earl Spencer predicted that the two brothers would be very close. "It will be lovely for William to have a companion and a playmate, and someone to fight with," he said. "I'm sure Harry will be a very good chap."
The two brothers are famously close
The two Princes took similar career paths into the military and love exchanging banter. The future King teases Harry about being "a ginger", while he in turn brings up William's thining hair whenever possible. George will very soon find out all about the fun of having a brother or maybe even a sister.
Harry, of course, turned out to be the best of chaps and his brother's chief confidant through the good times and the bad.