23 July 2023 , 13:51
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Royal children have, for decades, brought a much needed sense of informality and entertainment to serious royal events.
Just like his youngest son, Prince Louis, does now, the Prince of Wales also often broke free from the shackles of serious royal behaviour and showed off his mischievous side.
This is best seen when Prince William, then four, was anything but interested as he served as a page boy at his uncle, Prince Andrew's, wedding.
Prince William, then four, was anything but interested as he served as a page boyPrince Andrew married Sarah Ferguson at Westminster Abbey on July 23, 1986 and they became the Duke and Duchess of York.
The couple had eight pageboys and bridesmaids to follow them up the aisle, including Prince William, Peter Phillips, Zara Phillips and Lady Jane Fellowes - the niece of Diana, Princess of Wales.
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Meanwhile, Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh acted as his brother’s best man.
Prince William was one of the couple's page boys (Getty Images)
Prince William as he played with the toggle on his hat (Coventry Telegraph)Love the royals? Sign up for the Mirror's daily newsletter to get all the latest news on the Queen, Charles, Kate, Wills, Meghan, Harry and the rest of The Firm. Click here to sign up .
In the commentary before the procession down the aisle started, Prince William’s uncle, Earl Spencer (then Viscount Althorp) joked “I think it’s the first time Prince William’s been to church.
"He talks so much and is frankly so badly behaved that he doesn’t usually go to church.
“I think they’re all rather worried about what he’s going to do,” he continued.
The young prince who wore an adorable sailor outfit didn’t disappoint and was seen blowing raspberries, chatting away to his cousin, playing with the toggle on his hat and yawning during the ceremony.
The late Queen points out what she can see to Prince William (1986 Anwar Hussein)These were not the only tricks Prince William had up his sleeve that day, as he was later spotted being chased by his grandmother, the late Queen, as he ran too close to the moving carriage which was carrying the newlyweds.
Prince William was by no means the last royal to misbehave at weddings, as, years later, his own children have shown their cheeky sides when they have taken on pageboy and bridesmaid roles.
Prince George had to stifle his laughter during Princess Eugenie's wedding (Getty)Prince George was pictured chatting away to his cousin Savannah Phillips at the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank and even had to cover his mouth to stifle his laughter.
The Wales children have taken on the important pageboy and bridesmaid roles several times, including at Pippa Middleton’s wedding to James Matthews and at the wedding of their mother’s friend Sophie Carter in 2018.
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