Rarely Seen Photos of Prince William and Princess Diana

Prince William had such a special relationship with his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, that he has committed to being the same kind of warm, hands-on parent she was. These photos are a sentimental window into their powerful bond.

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PRINCE CHARLES AND PRINCESS DIANA WITH PRINCE WILLIAM - 1983
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Mummy and baby, doing quite nicely

The joy evident in the cherubic face of Prince William is matched only by that of his doting mum, Princess Diana.

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Looking like a pretty typical mother and child

Diana always strove to give her children as normal a childhood as was possible given the circumstances (being married to the heir apparent of the British throne and all). In line with that, this photo looks like it could have come from the sort of photo shoot many non-royal parents schedule for their little ones.

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Princess Diana with Prince William
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Laptime

Princess Diana and Prince William share a moment of mummy-son lap time in this adorable photo from May 18, 1987.

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Princess Diana with Prince William
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Polo had a secret significance to the family dynamic

“When we had William, we had to find a date in the diary that suited Charles and his polo,” Diana once said, according to Andrew Morton’s book, Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words. As a result, William’s birth had to be induced. But that didn’t stop Diana and William for sharing a mutual love of the game, as evidenced here in this 1989 photo.

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Princess Diana with Prince William
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They say there’s no crying in baseball…

But since this 1990 photo was taken at Royal Sports Day in Richmond, we can be pretty certain baseball had nothing to do with it. Whatever was actually bothering young Prince William at this sporting event, Diana was there to provide comfort and support.

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Prince William and Princess Diana
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Sharing a love of tennis

Prince William is enthusiastic about getting his three children involved in tennis, according to People. He also makes a point of explaining what’s going on when they attend events together. But in this photo from 1991, we once again see Diana’s influence on her eldest son.

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PRINCE WILLIAM WITH PRINCESS DIANA
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In sync

Pictured walking together in 1992, Diana and William walk in perfect sync.

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Princess Diana with Prince William
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In baseball caps

In September 1992, Princess Diana and Prince William manage to walk side-by-side, perfectly in sync and wearing dual baseball caps. You can almost imagine them as “regular folk.”

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Wimbledon Tennis Ladies Final, London, Britain - 1994
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A mother and son tradition

In what’s become a mother-son tradition, Diana and Wills, as he used to be known by his parents (he was also called “Wombat” by his parents), take in another tennis tournament at Wimbledon, this time in 1994.

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Princess Diana with Prince William
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VE-DAY

Princess Diana and Prince William are escorted by a distinguished member of the British military to the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of VE-Day (Victory in Europe Day) in London in 1995.

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Prince William and Princess Diana
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It’s all in the body language

It’s clear Prince William had a warm and loving relationship with his mum, Diana, Princess of Wales. But the body language of mother and son in this photo makes that bond unmistakable.

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Princess Diana
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Fun on the water

Diana was the type of mom who enjoyed being active with her boys—and that includes getting out on the water while on vacation. Here she, William, and Harry are in St. Tropez.

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Prince William and Princess Diana
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One of their last photos together

On August 21, 1997, Diana and William enjoy a mother-son lunch at La Famiglia in Chelsea, London. Who could have ever predicted that Diana would be gone 10 days later?

Next, find out what Kensington Palace looked like right after Princess Diana’s death.

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Originally Published on Reader's Digest