34 Quotes from Prince William

About the Queen and on Being Her Grandson

As I learned from growing up, you don't mess with your grandmother.

I always remember having a healthy respect for my grandmother.

I'm probably a bit of a cheeky grandson like my brother as well. We both tend to take the mickey a bit much.

When the Queen says 'well done,' it means so much.

I've had lots of kids come up and ask for my autograph, I've had a grandmother stop me and ask me if I know a good place to buy underwear.

My relationship with my grandmother has gone from strength to strength. As a shy, younger man it could be harder to talk about weighty matters. It was: 'This is my grandmother who is the Queen, and these are serious historical subjects.'

I'm probably a bit of a cheeky grandson, like my brother as well. We both take the mickey a bit too much.

My grandmother certainly does not care for celebrity.

Being a small boy it's very daunting seeing the Queen around and not really quite knowing what to talk about.

About the Monarchy

It's like a rugby team. If you're picking for the World Cup final, you're picking experience with youth. 

Everything is better off having that balance and that mix. I think that, especially, goes for the monarchy as well.

On Marriage and Family

We'll sort of get over the marriage first and then maybe look at the kids. But obviously we want a family so we'll have to start thinking about that.

As any new parent knows, you're only too happy to show off your new child and, you know, proclaim that he is the best looking or the best everything.

I have to say that I thought search-and-rescue duties over Snowdonia were physically and mentally demanding, but looking after a 3-week-old baby is up there!

There are times where you can't do it yourself and the system takes over, or it's appropriate to do things differently. But I think driving your son and your wife away from hospital was really important to me.

I'm just very keen to have a family and both Catherine and I, you know, are looking forward to having a family in the future.

You hear a lot of horror stories about proposing and things going horribly wrong - it went really, really well and I was really pleased when she said yes.

On Life and Taking Responsibilities

I think it's very important that you make your own decision about what you are. Therefore you're responsible for your actions, so you don't blame other people.

My guiding principles in life are to be honest, genuine, thoughtful and caring.

People say it's not ambitious, but it is actually quite ambitious wanting to help people.

I'm always open for people saying I'm wrong because most of the time I am.

I'm reasonably headstrong about what I believe in, and what I go for, and I've got fantastic people around me who give me great support and advice.

I'm still trying to decide. It's a really difficult one because I really enjoy my time in the Air Force. And I'd love to continue it. But the pressures of my other life are building. And fighting them off or balancing the two of them has proven quite difficult.

On Being Famous

I hope I'm not a tourist attraction - I'm sure that they come here really because St. Andrews is just amazing, a beautiful place.

I am as independent as I want to be, same as Catherine and Harry. We've all grown up differently to other generations and I very much feel if that I can do it myself, I want to do it myself.

There's been a lot of speculation about every single girl I'm with and it actually does quite irritate me after a while, more so because it's a complete pain for the girls.

Only the mad girls chase me, I think.

About Princess Diana

No one is going to try to fill my mother's shoes, what she did was fantastic. It's about making your own future and your own destiny and Kate will do a very good job of that.

There's no pressure; like Kate said, it is about carving your own future. No one is going to try to fill my mother's shoes; what she did was fantastic. It's about making your own future and your own destiny, and Kate will do a very good job of that.

It's my mother's engagement ring so I thought it was quite nice because obviously she's not going to be around to share any of the fun and excitement of it all - this was my way of keeping her close to it all.

On His Childhood

When I was younger and my parents used to always slap my hand if I was picking my nose or if I was running around screaming I was told to shut up.

On Being a Royal

I am and always will be an HRH. But out of personal choice I like to be called William because that is my name and I want people to call me William - for now.

On Cooking

I get quite lazy about cooking because when I come back from work it is the last thing I want to do, really is spend loads of time cooking.

On Going to University

I just want to go to university and have fun - I want to be an ordinary student. I'm only going to university. It's not like I'm getting married - though that's what it feels like sometimes.