Royal or not, kids are kids. And the likes of Prince William, Prince Harry and their cousins - including Zara Tindall and Princess Beatrice - have had a natural affinity for stealing the spotlight and getting the world talking since the day they were born.
The older royal cousins are perhaps best known for what they've achieved in recent years, whether it's enticing the world with their best royal wedding dresses or spreading their stardust with some incredible royal tour moments. But just like their own children, they were once young too. Not to mention, incredibly cute (and sometimes a bit cheeky...)
We take a look back at some of their most memorable moments growing up in front of the world's gaze.
32 times the royal cousins stole the show growing up
Prince Harry lets the paparazzi know how he feels
Prince Harry, as we know all too well these days, is not a fan of the press.
From legal battles with publishers to slamming their invasive nature in his 2023 memoir, Spare, his feelings have been made crystal clear. But, as this snap from 1988 shows, the dislike was always there.
Here, Harry steals the show as he and William sit in the backseat, being driven to meet their cousin, Princess Beatrice, born in 1988.
Cousin playtime at Sandringham, 1988
In 1988, the young royal cousins stole the show - and plenty of hearts - during a special photo call at Sandringham, where they got to play on a vintage fire truck.
The photos were previously shared on the official Kensington Royal social media accounts in 2019 to celebrate Emergency Services Day.
The full set includes Princess Diana looking on as Harry, William, Zara and Peter Phillips enjoy taking it turns in the driver's seat, wearing firemen hats and generally having an adorable time at the Norfolk residence.
Prince William's scene-stealing coat
In 1987, Prince William (along with his mother, Princess Diana) and a number of his cousins attended a Christmas service at St George's Chapel in Windsor.
While the presence of Diana usually meant all eyes landed on the late Princess of Wales, Prince William completely eclipsed his stylish mother with his own periwinkle blue Catherine Walker coat.
The long coat would've given some warmth as, despite being the dead of winter, William was stuck wearing shorts as was custom for boys in the upper classes.
A future Prince of Wales in the making
After the death of Queen Elizabeth in 2022, Charles became King and William became heir-apparent.
However, William also became the Prince of Wales - and this sweet photo shows him getting some practice for his pre-destined title. Looking innocent, William stole the show when he joined his parents for a visit to Wales in 1991.
He was given a Welsh flag and plenty of daffodils - the flower of the country.
A fun Prince William fact: he can apparently communicate in multiple languages, including Welsh.
Colour co-ordinated cousins
The Royal Family have always used fashion to send subliminal messages, and it seems like that's something that starts at a young age.
Whether it was just colour co-ordinating for aesthetic purposes, or it's a showing of solidarity and unity, a young Zara Phillips and Prince William looked cute and in sync as they attended an Easter service at St George's Chapel in 1988.
The cute moment was enough to steal attention from the senior royals, with even the likes of Princess Diana blending into the background!
Children being children - not being able to hide being bored
Despite being royals, kids will still be kids. And this moment of completely candid - and relatable - impatience and fidgeting from the young royals stole the show at the 1985 Trooping the Colour.
Despite having thousands of people turning up - as is done each year for the annual birthday parade of the monarch - the likes of Prince William, Lord Frederick Windsor (technically not William's cousin, but a distant cousin as his father was cousins with Queen Elizabeth II) and Peter Phillips preferred to amuse themselves on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
Like father, like son - a sassy young William
In 1985, Prince William (aged three) was photographed in the grounds of Kensington Palace for a special performance by the Red Devils, the British Parachute Regiment's parachute display team.
While the theatrics might have been the star attraction, the future King's sassy nature was a real highlight for royal fans.
With the sassy posing and displays of confidence, it's quite clear where Prince Louis got it from!
Being the most fun carriage at Trooping the Colour
In June 1990, the royal children got to ride in their own carriage for the annual Trooping the Colour parade.
And while it was always a delight seeing the likes of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Anne and Princess Diana bringing their very best fashion moments during these lavish spectacles, the younger generation was the carriage bringing the fun.
Prince William and Harry shared the carriage with Lord Frederick and Lady Gabriella and Lady Rose Windsor - and their infectious excitement certainly stole the spotlight.
Showing gran around school
Peter Phillips, the eldest grandchild of the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, and his younger sister Zara managed to steal the show with an awkward but adorable moment as teenagers when their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, paid a visit to their school.
Upon her arrival for a visit to Gordonstoun school, in Moray, Scotland, Peter and Zara made for a hilariously relatable couple of teenagers, stuck somewhere between respect for their grandmother and embarrassment at having a family member come to school.
Prince William and Harry go to school
They may have been born Princes - with William set to be a future King - but the two young boys stole the show (and most parents' hearts) when they were snapped making their way to school.
Twinning in their uniforms for Wetherby School in Notting Hill, London, the young princes joined their mum for a very normal looking school run - only they were chased by the paparazzi for it.
Taking it all in their stride, the excited looking lads with their oversized book bags made for an unforgettable picture.
Princess Beatrice putting on a brave face
At The Royal Windsor Horse Show in 1993, a five year old Princess Beatrice tried her hand at some daredevil antics alongside her mum, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York.
The royals being out and about at the Windsor Horse Show was nothing out of the norm, with various family members appearing throughout the years, but this moment really stole the show because of Beatrice's hilarious expression.
Trying to mask her fear at the slide, the Princess really proved her mettle and showcased that signature Royal Family stoicism.
Seeing double with Princess Beatrice and Eugenie
Not even Princesses are immune from the embarrassment of parents choosing to dress them up in the same outfits.
In the summer of 1997, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie joined their parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, for a charity golf match in Surrey. While the action took place on the pitch, it was easy to be distracted by the adorable twinning royals.
The sisters were dressed in the same - surprisingly on trend - denim-like dresses, bold red shoes and cute ribbon hairbands.
Hanging out with the Spanish royals
Nothing will humble a person like their own children - just look at this example of Prince Harry reminding Princess Diana that, despite all the glamour and attention, she's there to help him sort out his shoes.
The funny moment is even more amusing considering the calibre of guests in attendance.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles took their two sons, William and Harry, for a holiday with Spanish Royal Juan Carlos I, Spanish Royal Infanta Dona Elena of Spain, and the then Spanish Queen Sofia in Palma de Mallorca.
Princess Beatrice having an embarrassed teen moment
Sometimes, a royal steals the spotlight because of how relatable a picture can be - and that's exactly what happened in 2000 when teenagers across the country resonated with Princess Beatrice's visible embarrassment in this picture.
A very excited-looking Sarah Ferguson gives her daughter, then aged 12, a big hug ahead of her first day at High School.
Grinning and bearing it, Beatrice's expression was one for the books.
Prince William and Harry's joy at Trooping the Colour spreading to Princess Margaret
Princess Margaret was notoriously acerbic - and not even Hollywood icons like Judy Garland and Elizabeth Taylor were enough to really impress her (or avoid her sharp tongue).
So it's testament to the young Prince William and Harry that their infectious joy and energy at 1989's Trooping the Colour parade was enough to, apparently, have the Queen's sister join them in some waving at the fly pass going on overhead.
A much happier memory for the boys and their great-aunt than the time she gave Prince Harry a most unusual (and unremarkable) Christmas gift - a pen with a rubber fish around it.
Peter Phillips' bouffant - like mother, like son!
Princess Anne's many iconic fashion moments over the years have included a slew of vibrant colours and daring prints, but one constant is her trademark hair.
Well, as it turns out, she's not the only one in her family who can rock a voluminous hairstyle.
In this adorable throwback of the Princess Royal with her two children - Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall - Peter's blonde mop seems to have naturally formed into a fluffy bouffant.
Caught sneaking a peek
In 1988, a young Zara Tindall and her little cousin, Prince William, were spotted poking their heads out of Buckingham Palace.
It's a great, memorable photo because of how utterly unimpressed the close royals both look at the festivities. It was during Trooping the Colour, but William seems more preoccupied with picking his nose as Zara looks fed up.
Oh, children.
Princess Eugenie's Aston Martin entrance
You have to give to Princess Eugenie - even as a child she managed to steal the show with a memorable entrance.
The youngest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson was snapped hopping out of her father's ultra-cool sportscar.
The Duke of York was driving an Aston Martin Db7 Volante Convertible at the time, and he drove his sunglass-wearing daughter to an event on behalf of Sarah Ferguson's Children in Crisis charity.
Big cousin duties on the slopes
Over the years, there are countless photos of the Royal Family skiing and snowboarding to choose from - after all, the entire family seem to share a sporting prowess.
Around the late 1980s and early 1990s, the then Prince Charles and Princess Diana would often join Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson with their respective children for some fun on the slopes.
In this memorable picture, Prince William stole the show by proving his gentlemanly nature, helping his little cousin, Eugenie, persevere through the wintry terrain.
William's early interest in cameras
These days, Prince William is a natural in front of the camera, often making headline-grabbing appearances at the likes of the BAFTAs (the British Academy of Film and Television Awards) or headlining his own Earthshot Prize ceremony.
His wife, Kate Middleton, is another natural both in front of and behind the camera, having a well-known love for photography. And in this adorable photo, the two-year old Prince is proving that the pair might have a pre-destined shared love of hobbies.
He was snapped looking fascinated as members of the press showed him their equipment during a photo call at Kensington Palace for his birthday.
Beatrice and Eugenie's ballet costumes
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess Of York brought her two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, to a charity evening at the Drury Lane Theatre in London in 1999 as part of the foundation she started, Children in Crisis.
The two princesses brought all the festive vibes in picture-perfect ballerina costumes.
Prince William masters the royal wave early on
The royal wave is basically passed down genetically, or that's what these scene-stealing pictures of Prince William suggest.
At just one year old in 1983, the young Prince - swaddled in a very cosy looking romper - seems to naturally find the camera and offers up a majestic wave, as his mum, the late Princess Diana, looks on proudly.
Zara carries on a family tradition
The late Queen Elizabeth loved horses ever since she was a young girl, receiving her first Shetland pony aged just four years old. Her love for horses passed down to her daughter, Princess Anne, who would go on to become a champion rider and the first royal to ever compete at the Olympic Games.
Zara Tindall, Anne's daughter and the Queen's oldest granddaughter, would go on to surpass them all, becoming the first royal to win an Olympic Medal for equestrian sports in 2012.
In 1989, the signs were there that Zara would take the family tradition to new heights as this powerful photo captured.
Princess Beatrice nearly steals Diana's hat
Princess Beatrice certainly stole the show in 1990 when the young royal, aged around two, proved to be an ultimate handful - proving that Prince Louis isn't the first royal to enjoy a spot of mischief at these big events.
The photos show her reaching to grab the hat of Princess Diana, who expertly sidesteps the fidgeting youngster.
Princess Beatrice's energetic antics also went viral on TikTok as throwback video footage showed she tried to throw a glove from Buckingham Palace during the same balcony appearance.
Prince Harry gets a boost from Princess Anne
Prince Harry's adorable bonding time with his aunt, the Princess Royal, stole the show at the 1985 Trooping the Colour parade.
Perhaps Princess Anne had a natural affinity for her nephew as both are second-borns to a monarch - sometimes known as the "spare to an heir" - or perhaps she just enjoyed doting on the youngest son of her older brother.
Whatever the reason, Harry beamed as his loving aunt picked him up for a better view of the annual military parade in what has become one of the sweeter, more affectionate moments caught on camera for the royals.
Princess Beatrice looking iconic
If we were building a Pinterest board to capture inspirational moods, we'd have to add this one of Princess Beatrice looking, quite literally, iconic.
Stealing the show back in 1991, the young Princess happily tucked into an ice cream as she wears the most flamboyant pair of hot pink, butterfly-shaped sunglasses.
What's even better is that Beatrice has grown up to opt for more daring, avant-garde fashion choices - who could forget her structural Philip Treacy hat at William and Kate's 2011 wedding? So, perhaps it was always in her DNA.
Peter and Zara rock the family uniform
In 1987, for the Windsor Horse Show, Princess Anne arrived with her two children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall.
The three looked like they'd stepped out of an edition of Country Living, each rocking the signature look of the countryside-loving outdoorsy folk.
The Barbour jacket is a staple for the rural royals, and all three donned what appears to be the reliable, waxed jacket.
Bonus points go to young Peter Phillips for sporting a tweed flat cap which could have come straight from his grandfather, Prince Philip's, wardrobe.
We are not amused - unimpressed Princesses
The late Queen Elizabeth II was famous for her stoic expressions, and if this wonderful moment of Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie is anything to go by, she passed it down the generations.
In the adorable snap, the two young princesses - dressed in matching floral dresses - stole the show with their unfiltered looks of disgust at whatever they may be witnessing at the Windsor Horse Show in 1992.
William's sweet moment with mum
During a dinner with his mum, Prince William stole the show and all our hearts with his sweet show of affection.
It's not custom to see such shows of love between the royals, but Diana and her boys were always different, and this memorable snap shows just how comfortable the future Prince of Wales was with being cute and cuddly when with his mother.
Diana's hugs were legendary, and Harry opened up about them during the 2017 HBO documentary, Diana, Our Mother.
He said, "She would just engulf you and squeeze you as tight as possible... even talking about it now, I can feel the hugs that she used to give us and, you know, I miss that. I miss that feeling."
William's amazed reactions - just like Louis decades later
Prince William was one year old during the annual Trooping the Colour parade in 1984, and his pure enthusiasm and delight completely stole the show - and probably helped the world see the annual event through the fresh eyes of a child once again.
Dressed in a little blue outfit with an oversized collar, the young royal was flanked by his mother, Princess Diana, as he made awe-inspired looks and expressions at the huge military parade and the military flyover.
Royal fans will recognise that Princes George and Louis have since had very similar reactions, giving a lovely full circle moment for the now father of three.
Prince Harry sticks his tongue out on the balcony of Buckingham Palace
Oh, Prince Harry. He's never been afraid of a bit of mischief - and it started young.
In front of thousands of royal fans and military personnel who turned up for Trooping the Colour in 1988, the young royal surprised everyone (not least his mum, Princess Diana, who was holding him at the time) when he pulled the naughty face.
A bossy young William takes centre stage
Prince William quite literally stole the show and took centre stage during a photo call for his second birthday in 1984.
You'd think a two-year old would have been shyer and more hesitant with so many strangers turning up at Kensington Palace to take photos of the future monarch. However, dressed in his blue romper, the little Prince was hilariously confident, going out to greet the press and even chatting away to them.
Perhaps one of the earliest signs that he was born to be a leader!
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