Prince William’s Watch Has Been On His Wrist For 30 Years

An especially touching choice...

Prince William’s Watch Has Been On His Wrist For 30 Years

There’s been a lot to take in over the last few days with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II… And there’s a subtle habit that her grandson Prince William does that you may have missed.


William, who was the Duke of Cambridge and is now officially Prince William of Wales now that his father Charles is King Charles III, has been every bit the perfect royal in the aftermath of the Queen’s death, the 40-year-old providing a sense of calm and solemnity to the occasion with his demeanour.

You might have noticed him reaching out to shake hands and receive gifts from the public during the Long Walk at Windsor Castle on Sunday – but you may not have noticed what was on his wrist: an OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300M watch.

Images: Getty / OMEGA

It’s a nice watch but what’s even nicer is that William has actually been wearing the same watch for almost three decades – and there’s a touching reason why which makes it a particularly lovely choice. Namely, the watch was a gift to him from his late mother, Princess Diana.

William was gifted the watch from Diana when he was still a kid, and he’s been wearing it ever since to remember his mum. When Diana died in a shock car crash in 1997, William was only 15.

It’s a midsize quartz model – hardly the sort of thing most collectors or most men of his stature would bother wearing – but it’s a touching tribute to his mum that he continues to wear it. In that sense, it’s rather symbolic that he’s wearing it while mourning his grandma, too.

William wearing his OMEGA in the early 2000s whilst being whisked away from paparazzi with Kate in tow.

William is now the next in line to the throne now that his father has become the sovereign. The Queen’s passing has proven to be a moment of unity for the royal family, with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle joining William and Kate (now Catherine, Princess of Wales) in recent public appearances – significant considering the rift between the two brothers.

Read Next