18 Times Prince William Was Just a Chill Dad

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Considering he’s someone who could in theory have 24/7 child care for his three children, Prince William seems to be a pretty hands-on father. He and his wife, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, don’t always have their kids with them when they are out on official duties, but when they do, parenting seems to come really naturally to the both of them — so much so, that it definitely feels like the prince must spend a good amount of time in “dad mode” at home as well. He’s just so in control and unfazed when he’s with his kids. It seems obvious that William is truly comfortable in his role as father.

Having a wife and three kids under the age of 7 — and being the future king of one of the world’s superpowers — let alone, constantly being under the public eye, cannot be easy. And yet, Prince William rarely, if ever, appears flustered.

What’s more, he seems to actually enjoy being around his kids. From what we can tell, Will and Kate prioritize the well-being and happiness of their children above nearly everything and have no problem simply letting them be kids despite their royal status. If we had to bet, we would definitely say that he learned a lot about parenting from his mother, Princess Diana, even though he was still a young teenager when she passed away. She went through pains to make sure that Prince William and Prince Harry had some normalcy in their childhoods — and got to spend as much quality time with them as possible. We definitely see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge doing the same with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

Here’s a look at all the times Prince William was a regular, chill dad.

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Welcome to Fatherhood

The Duke of Cambridge was every beaming new father when he and Kate Middleton left the hospital after the birth of their first child, Prince George. While there might be a slight hint of nervousness in his eyes, Prince William still looks relaxed for a first-time father with a newborn, especially considering the number of onlookers who were undoubtedly watching.

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Confident Carrier

The second time around, Prince William looked just like every other second-time papa, swinging baby Charlotte around in the car seat carrier on his way out of the hospital after the princess’ birth. We wonder if he installed the car seat himself or had some help. That’s always the trickiest part of getting a new baby home.

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Behind the Wheel

He even got behind the wheel to drive Princess Charlotte home from the hospital. (Just look at that big smile!) William must have been so happy to finally have his little girl. It’s such a different drive home with the second baby than it is with the first. It’s certainly not nearly as nerve-wracking, except we imagine the prince probably had a paparazzi tail to think about. Still, he looked cool as a cucumber.

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He’s Got This

The third time’s a charm. After Kate gave birth to her and William’s third child, Prince Louis, the Duke of Cambridge seemed to know exactly what he was doing. He tucked little Louis snugly into the car before whisking him home from the hospital. It’s hard to imagine a prince being so comfortable with such everyday tasks, but he’s clearly done this often. Will makes it look easy, even while wearing a sports coat.

First Day of School

Kate Middleton was pregnant and terribly ill with severe morning sickness on Prince George’s first day of school, so William had to step in for drop-off duty. We’re sure he could have pawned the task off on a nanny, but he didn’t. He escorted his firstborn to school for the first time, and did it with a smile. Seeing the future king that morning must have been quite a thrill for the other parents.

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Keeping Things Under Control

Prince George and Princess Charlotte joined their parents for an official royal visit to Germany and got to see some cool helicopters up close. As any parent can confirm, these situations are fun but can be totally stressful, because little kids are so unpredictable. William and Kate calmly corralled their kiddos, though, and were clearly making sure they didn’t do anything — or touch anything — they shouldn’t.

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Relatable Moment

When George and Charlotte went to meet their new little brother, Louis, for the first time, their dad William looked the consummate father. With a child in each hand, he ushered them to down the sidewalk at the hospital and appeared to be having a chat with them as they made their way in. Whether he was reading them the riot act or offering some words of encouragement, it was such a relatable moment.

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Dad Duty

Kate didn’t have to worry about her older two children even a little bit on the day of Prince Louis’ christening. Prince William handled George and Charlotte, while Kate had her hands full with the newborn. It’s not easy to manage multiple small children at once, so having an involved dad around can make a world of a difference for any mother of a newborn.

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Sports Dad

Prince William and Prince Harry were raised as athletes and have been known to attend sports games, both officially and during their spare time. Apparently, Prince William’s love of soccer has rubbed off on little George who was caught cheering for the Aston Villa team alongside his father. We have to say, the elder prince looked pretty pleased that his son was so into the game.

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Doling Out Discipline

Prince William doesn’t have any qualms about doling out discipline, either — even in public. During an official visit to Poland, Prince George appeared to be in a slightly less-than-agreeable mood, and dear old dad made sure to get him back in line with a bit of a talking to before introducing to him any of Poland’s representatives.

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Roughhousing

Like most dads, the prince balances out the discipline with plenty of fun. Despite his regal status, Prince William isn’t afraid to get down in the dirt with his children. This past Father’s Day, he was pictured wrestling in the grass with all three children at once. They all had the biggest smiles on their faces, and it definitely looked like something they were all accustomed to doing.

Dads will be dads.

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The Fun Dad

Seriously, just look at that smile. Prince William clearly enjoys playtime with his children. The four of them look so cute together playing on this giant swing. With Kate Middleton behind the camera, this could literally be any family in England. These kids sure look like they adore their daddy.

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Christmas Kisses

The public doesn’t get to see a ton of public displays of affection from the royal family, which makes it all the more special when we see them being sweet with each other. For Christmas 2019, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared a photo of Prince William hanging out with his kiddos and sneaking a peck on the cheek for their littlest, Louis.

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Life Lessons

It would be easy for Prince William to keep his kids sheltered in their life of privilege, but instead, he and Kate get them involved with helping those who are less privileged. The royal couple brought their children along to help deliver food to retirees, and we can only imagine that the moment this picture was taken, the prince was giving his kids a little lesson on the importance of helping others.

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Using Those Dad Skills

Prince William must meet hundreds or thousands of kids each year while carrying out his royal duties. And being a father has probably helped him understand kids better. Here, he’s getting down to the kids’ level to ensure they feel comfortable and safe during introductions. Even if these kids are Swedish royalty, William still knows how to approach them.

Now, that’s a pro dad move.

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Family Vacation Pro

Like many dads, Prince William also takes time to take his family on vacation each year. The British royals are quite fond of ski trips, and we absolutely love that, despite still being so little here, Prince William and Kate Middleton brought along Prince George and Princess Charlotte. They even posed for a (somewhat) cheesy family vacation photo, just like everyone else does.

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Swing, Baby

Oh, the joy of swinging a tiny baby. There’s nothing quite like the wonder in a baby’s eyes when they’re on a swing. Prince William was so obviously delighted to swing Prince Louis, that this picture totally reminds us of all the chill dads on the playground after school — or on a weekend morning. He was probably even saying, “wheeee!”

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So Typical

Just like lots of other dads, Prince William wants in on the fun, too. In this adorable video, the future king starts out talking to his eldest son about how much he likes the place they’re visiting while the little prince goes for swing, but somehow ends up on the swing himself by the end. We can’t help but laugh at what a typical scenario that is.

Dads just wanna have fun.