Meet Prince William’s Closest Friends
Prince William has remained close with a number of friends he’s met at various points in his life including childhood and college.
He’s maintained the friendships all the while getting married, having three kids, and preparing to one day become the king of England.
Get to know his closest mates — British slang for friends — ahead.
William van Cutsem
First up is William van Cutsem. His family and the royal family go way back. His father, Hugh van Cutsem Sr., met William’s father, Prince Charles, at Cambridge where the two became very close.
Prince Charles is the godfather of William van Cutsem’s brother, Edward. Edward even took part in the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana as a pageboy, according to Hello! magazine.
William van Cutsem grew up on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk with his three brothers, which is how he met Prince William. The two have been close ever since.
Prince William served as an usher at William van Cutsem’s wedding to Rosie Ruck Keene in 2013. And Prince George, Prince William’s firstborn child, counts William van Cutsem as his godfather.
James Meade
James Meade and Prince William became friends at Eton, according to PopSugar. Meade’s wife, Laura Marsham, and Kate Middleton have reportedly become close friends as a result of the friendship between their husbands.
Meade gave a speech at Prince William and Middleton’s wedding in 2011. Two years later, Prince William served as an usher at Meade and Marsham’s wedding.
Prince William and Kate Middleton picked Meade to be one of Princess Charlotte’s godparents in 2015.
Meade and Marsham live near Anmer Hall, Prince William and Middleton’s home in Norfolk. In 2018, The couple attended church services with the royal couple and the rest of the royal family in Sandringham.
Thomas van Straubenzee
Thomas van Straubenzee and Prince William both attended Ludgroe Prep School in Berkshire. Along with Meade, van Straubenzee served as an usher and gave a speech at Middleton and Prince William’s wedding in 2011.
He also hosted a secret “stag” party — the British version of a bachelor party — for Prince William at his family’s Norfolk estate. Prince William participated in Van Straubenzee’s 2013 wedding to Lady Melissa Percy as an usher. Van Straubenzee is among Princess Charlotte’s godparents.
Van Straubenzee and his wife recently divorced reportedly causing Prince William and Middleton to choose sides, according to the International Business Times.
“Everyone says they don’t pick sides in a divorce but it’s quite hard not to,” Percey told People. “I knew it was going to be tough, every single person I had met [since they had started dating when she was 21] in England was through him.”
Tom Inskip
Another friend of Prince William’s from Eton is Tom Inskip. Inskip is reportedly best friends with Prince Harry but is also close with Prince William.
Inskip helped plan Prince William’s bachelor party and was among the selected few who attended the wedding receptions of both Prince William and Prince Harry.
Hugh van Cutsem
Prince William is also friends with another one of the van Cutsem children, Hugh.
His daughter, Grace, received a great deal of attention as a bridesmaid at Prince William and Middleton’s 2011 wedding.
She appeared on the balcony covering her ears with an unpleasant look on her face while the bride and groom shared their first public kiss.
She also counts Prince William as her godfather.
Guy Pelly
Guy Pelly and Princ William met in 2001 while fox hunting. Pelly is a well-known nightclub owner and has made headlines for his partying. He helped organize Prince William’s bachelor party and is godfather to Prince Louis.
Prince William traveled to Memphis, Tenn., for Pelly’s wedding to Lizzy Wilson in 2014.
Peter Phillips
Even though Peter Phillips is technically family — he’s the son of Princess Anne, the sister of Queen Elizabeth II — which makes him Prince William’s first cousin, they’re very close. You could say they are both family and friends.
Phillips’ daughter, Savannah, stole the spotlight on the Buckingham Palace balcony when she was photographed shushing Prince George.
