Prince William and Prince Harry
Prince William and Prince Harry attend the opening of the Greenhouse Sports Centre on April 26, 2018, in London. Getty Images/Toby Melville

Prince William is shockingly similar to Prince Harry in one thing.

The Duke of Cambridge knew that he would be king one day. In fact, he is already preparing for his future role at present. However, according to royal experts, Prince William is shockingly similar to Prince Harry when it comes to their views about the royal family – both wished they weren’t royals.

Royal photographer Arthur Edwards spent years alongside Prince Charles and Princess Diana. He was there when the couple emerged at the Lindo Wing with their sons Prince William and Prince Harry.

“I thought William didn’t even want to be a member of the Royal Family,” the veteran photographer said on “Prince William at Thirty.”

“In fact, I distinctly got the impression that he hated anything to do with the attention and the intrusion. But, now I know he’s just perfect for this job.”

Andrew Morton also revealed in his 2011 book “William and Catherine” the frustrations that Prince William faced at school due to his royal status. He reportedly auditioned for a student play but was rejected because the producer was worried that if they picked him, the media instead of the townsfolk and his fellow students would dominate the audience in the small Byre Theatre.

The said rejection symbolized Prince William’s frustrations of fitting into the university life. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t just be an ordinary student.

To make matters worse, he was tired and sick of the people he didn’t know but kept on following him around. Meanwhile, some kept their distance from him. It was considered “uncool” to mention his name in conversations. Also, any comment about him implied that his presence affected that person’s decision to study in the university and would make that student an instant fan of the royal and a social climber.

No one wanted to be thought of as keen to meeting him and even the idea of just greeting him with a “hi” was deemed a social suicide. Prince William wanted to be normal and to be one of the boys.

Prince Harry also felt the same. In fact, one biographer said that he was a “reluctant royal.” There was reportedly a time when he decided to leave the royal life and give up all his privileges. He just stayed because Queen Elizabeth II convinced him to not abandon his royal life and duties.