Royal teenagers! 15 best photos from their younger years

Princess Kate and co look so different

Online Royal CorrespondentLondon

February 26, 2023Feb 26, 2023, 3:17 PM GMT

While the younger generation of royals are growing up fast, for some, it doesn't feel that long ago that the likes of Prince William and Prince Harry were at school.

Over the years, we have seen the royal family go through their adolescent years in the public eye, so take a trip down memory lane as we share some of the best throwback photos of the royals as teenagers, including Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, who both fell in love and married their Princes.

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HELLO! shares some of the best photos of the royals in their teenage years in the gallery below.

The Princess of Wales

Before she met her future husband at the University of St Andrews, 19-year-old Kate Middleton spent ten weeks on a Raleigh International expedition trip to Patagonia in Chile, during her gap year in 2001. Kate did wilderness trekking and analysed marine life during her time abroad.

SEE: Prince Harry and Meghan's daughter Lilibet looks identical to Princess Eugenie as a baby

The Prince of Wales

Prince William is pictured after passing his driving test first time in Cirencester, Gloucestershire in June 1999. The then 17-year-old royal punched the air with delight after his instructor gave him the good news, according to reports at the time.

The Duchess of Sussex

Fellow actress and singer Katharine McPhee unveiled this incredible throwback photo of Meghan Markle when the pair worked together in musicals during their teenage years. She captioned the Instagram snap: "Meghan and I did musicals together as kids. She grew up to be the Duchess of Sussex and I grew up to star on the West End, so same life if you ask me. #TBT."

The Duke of Sussex

Could Prince Harry's student digs be any more reminiscent of the noughties? The 18-year-old was photographed in his dorm in his final year at Eton College. Note the posters, the stereo and a sweet framed photo of Princess Diana.

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Queen Elizabeth II

The then Princess Elizabeth is pictured enjoying a bike ride around Royal Lodge in Windsor, aged 16 in 1942. The future monarch and her sister, Princess Margaret, stayed in Windsor for their safety during the Second World War.

The Duke of Edinburgh

This rare photo was taken in 1939, when the late Prince Philip was 18 years old and a student at Gordonstoun, in Scotland.

Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice

princess eugenie and beatrice as teenagers

The teenage royal sisters enjoyed a day out at the polo together in 2004, aged 14 and 16 respectively.

King Charles

Future monarch Prince Charles wearing a suit, smiles for a portrait aged 14 in 1962.

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The Princess Royal

Princess Anne looks chic dressed up for a night out, wearing a silk tunic and statement earrings, aged 18 in 1968.

Prince Andrew

The Queen's second son had just completed his first solo glider flight aged 16. Andrew, a corporal in the Gordonstoun School Air Training Corps, flew three four-minute circuits over the ATC gliding school at Milltown, near RAF Lossiemouth, and so qualified for his ATC Proficiency wings.

The Earl of Wessex

The Queen's youngest son, Prince Edward, looking very baby-faced aged 14 at the Badminton Horse Trials in 1978.

Zara Tindall

Princess Anne's daughter Zara, who is an accomplished equestrian, was always sporty from a young age. She was pictured taking a break during the Gatcombe Park Horse Trials, aged 14 in 1995.

Peter Phillips

The Queen visited her oldest grandchild Peter at the Port Regis Prep School in Dorset, when he was 13 in 1991.

Lady Gabriella Windsor

Lady Gabriella Windsor, the daughter of Prince Michael and Princess Michael of Kent, joined the Queen and senior royals on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Colour. The 16-year-old looked smart in a monochrome ensemble and a wide-brimmed hat for the occasion.

Diana, Princess of Wales

Lady Diana Spencer was just 19 when she started dating Prince Charles. The future Princess of Wales was working as a nursery teacher's assistant at a nursery school in Pimlico before their engagement was announced.

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