Diana, Princess of Wales once made a bold prediction about how popular her eldest son Prince William, according to one royal expert. The late royal, who died aged 36 in 1997, welcomed William in June 1982 – when she was just 21.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond revealed that Diana once told her that the country is “lucky” to have William – hinting that she knew he would be a popular member of the Royal Family. Speaking to the Mirror, Ms Bond said: “Clearly, William is doing something very right. His informal, approachable way of going about his work is resonating with the public.
“Even the way he talks is different to previous generations. He’s well spoken, of course, but not overly posh. He dresses well, of course, but is quite often wearing jeans and trainers.”
Discussing her chat with Diana, she added: “”He’ll pose for selfies with the crowds, he’ll even work the camera for them if they get flustered! All this adds up to a prince and future King who seems reasonably in touch – despite his privileged status.
“As Diana once said to me: ‘William’s alright. The country is very lucky to have William. I think she was bang on.”
A new poll from YouGov has shown that William is the most popular royal among Brits – with three-quarters (75 per cent) having a positive opinion of the heir to the throne.
William is closely followed in the poll by his wife Princess Kate, who officially joined the Royal Family in April 2011.
Prince William is one of the most popular members of the Royal Family (Image: GETTY)
Speaking of the poll, Ms Bond added: “I don’t know whether the royals pay much attention to opinion polls, but they probably should. William himself has said that it is vital for the monarchy to stay relevant and in touch.
“Opinion polls – however wrong they can sometimes be – are some sort of gauge as to whether the royals are connecting with people.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary last month – with the couple having welcomed three children – Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and seven-year-old Prince Louis – since their wedding.