If you think the royals aren’t anything like us, it might be time to rethink. Let’s just take Prince William. Sure, he grew up with a lot of money and privileges, and has spent his entire life in royal castles and palaces. (Of course, he is also the future British king.) But despite all that, he’s also a man who lost his beloved grandparents and still misses them dearly.

That’s never been more apparent than in William’s recent appearance on Eugene Levy’s documentary series The Reluctant Traveler on Apple TV+. The prince opened up about royal family life and gave us glimpses into what Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were really like behind closed doors. Chatting with Levy at Windsor Castle—and later, in very British fashion, at the pub—he also told us what he misses most about spending one-on-one (and one-on-two) time with the pair.

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What were Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip like as grandparents?

Elizabeth and Philip “loved having the family around,” William said in the documentary. “We were always encouraged to turn up and be around.”

William revealed that while he and Harry always had a good relationship with their grandparents, he felt closest to them when he’d gotten a bit older. The prince said this was mainly due to the fact that the queen and Philip “were of a different generation.” The royal pair, who spent 73 years together, weren’t exactly the cuddly and affectionate type when he was a kid, unlike, say, William’s mother, the late Princess Diana.

“I think when we were younger, it was harder to have that very close relationship because it was quite formal,” William said. “But as they got older, and I got older, it got warmer and warmer.” He went on to say that he thinks “my relationship was best with my grandparents” when they were in their 80s: “They relaxed a little bit.”

What does William miss the most about them?

Having a good laugh! The prince said the atmosphere was joyful every time he was around his grandparents. Remembering the “happy times,” he said there was “always warmness, always laughter, always a family feel.”

“My grandfather was incredibly amusing, sometimes not deliberately, sometimes by accident, but we had a lot of laughs,” William said. “He had a great sense of humor, as did my grandmother, actually.” (We certainly would have loved to see the queen giggling away with the younger members of the family!)

But as we well know, when out and about during her impressive seven decades on the throne, the queen was determined to keep it together at all times. She was polite and smiling, no doubt, but she also tended to keep a certain distance when seen in public. William hinted, however, that the facade wasn’t always what it seemed, and the late monarch could often be the exact opposite among her immediate family.

What was the queen’s humor like?

Among those who had the privilege to know her well, Elizabeth was famous for her witty, dry humor with a big dose of self-irony. “Laughing things off has been an important survival technique,” royal historian Robert Lacey told the BBC, and singer Elton John, a close confidant of the royal household, simply called her “hilarious” in his autobiography.

William said the queen certainly had a sense of humor, and he often managed to make her laugh, but “you had to be careful about your timing; you had to pick and choose your moments” when making jokes with her. Unfortunately, William didn’t offer more insight into that cryptic message, but we know that his brother Harry once pranked the late monarch with an inappropriate voicemail message.

Harry was also the one who gifted the queen some very special Christmas presents, according to royal biographer Omid Scobie, including a shower cap reading “Ain’t Life a B—” and a “Big Mouth Billy Bass” singing fish. In case you didn’t know, joke gifts are a real thing in the royal household, and they’re an important part of the royal Christmas festivities.

Unlike the queen, Philip was always an open book. The queen’s husband was well known for, and regularly made headlines with, his candid remarks and sometimes inappropriate jokes.

How much time did they spend together as he was growing up?

Quite a lot, it seems. From age 13 to 18, William went to Eton, Britain’s No. 1 elite school, located just a stone’s throw from Windsor Castle. So given that he could literally walk over to the castle, it’s only natural that he’d regularly pop in to see his grandparents and have a chat (or a laugh).

“I’d come around and have a bit of tea with her because she had the best teas ever,” William remembers. He’d even try to visit for tea on weekends and evenings, “if I could get away.”

The one-on-one time with his grandmother always ensured he was well-fed, according to William. In the U.K., having tea isn’t always about the tea alone—the term is also used for informal dinners. When together, the pair would chat “about family stuff, work stuff” and update each other on “what we were up to.”

Word on the street says that William’s oldest son, Prince George, will also attend Eton. So while George’s grandparents, King Charles and Queen Camilla, reside in London, William could continue the tradition by inviting him over for tea once in a while.

Given all the time the prince and the late queen spent together at the castle, it’s no surprise that William still thinks of her when out and about on the grounds: “For me, Windsor is her. She loved it here. She spent most of the time here.”

What else did William reveal in the interview?

The prince was in quite a chatty mood, so besides his relationship with his grandparents, he also let slip some other bits and pieces we’d never heard.

• William is always late. You’d think punctuality would be part of the extensive royal rule book, but William might just be the exception to the rule. “I’m always late,” he admitted when welcoming Eugene Levy (who’d already been waiting) at Windsor Castle.
• He loved the American Pie movies. Levy declared himself a fan of the royals, and it seems the admiration is mutual. “I was a big fan of you, of your old films, the American Pies,” William revealed, saying he used to watch the teenage comedy series “with lots of my friends.”
• Prince George is a history buff. While showing Levy around the castle, William admitted that he wasn’t “the guy” to give accurate historical background: “I think I probably need some history lessons. George, my son, is way better with history than I am. I have to check with him [on] my dates.”
• He’s always optimistic. With both his father, Charles, and his wife, Kate, going through cancer treatment, William called 2024 “the hardest year I’ve ever had.” Nonetheless, he has kept his positive outlook on life: “I am genuinely a very optimistic person.”
• He wants to change the monarchy. Ready to step into his father’s footsteps when the time comes, William said he’s ready for changes: “not overly radically, but changes I think need to happen.”

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Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of stories on the British royal family, providing a behind-the-scenes look at the fascinating facets of the monarchy. We regularly cover topics including the latest royal news, the history and meaning behind time-honored traditions, and the everyday quirks of everyone’s favorite family members, from Queen Elizabeth’s daily snack to Prince William’s confessions about his home life. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this piece on Prince William and Queen Elizabeth, Astrid Hofer tapped her experience as a London-based journalist with more than 20 years of experience covering topics including the British royal family. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

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