- I'm Alice Loxton and
I present documentaries over on History Hit TV. If you're passionate about
all things royal history, sign up to History Hit TV. It's like Netflix, but just for history. You've got hours of ad-free documentaries about all aspects of the past. You can get a huge discount
for History Hit TV. Make sure you check out the
details in the video description and use the code
"realroyalty," all one word, when you sign up. Now, on with the show. (soft ambient music) - [Man] Three cheers
for the Prince of Wales! Hip-hip! - [Crowd] Hooray! - Hip-hip!
- Hooray! - [Narrator] When Britain's future king, Edward, Prince of Wales, fell for a twice-married American
divorcee, Wallis Simpson, their secret affair caused
a constitutional crisis that would cost him his crown. - [Reporter] On this day, the
decision of King Edward VIII was awaited with anxiety
throughout the empire. - [Narrator] He became the
first monarch in British history to voluntarily give up his throne- - The man who gave up
more than any other man has ever done for love of a woman. - [Narrator] Linking him forever to one of the world's most
enduring love stories. - I viewed it was the greatest
romance of the 20th century. - [Edward] I have found it impossible to discharge my duties as king without the help and
support of the woman I love. (soft reverent music) - [Narrator] It's been 80 years since Edward quit his
throne for Wallis Simpson, but people are still
fascinated by their love story and what happened to them
after he was no longer king. - At £10,000. £10,000. (gavel banging)
Sold. - Many of the items under the hammer today have been sold at auction twice before, attracting record-breaking prices. - £1,500,000.
(gavel banging) - That they're still pulling
in the bids for a third time shows how fascinated people still are with this remarkable story. - One of the most precious
and perhaps the most beautiful is a 1952 onyx-and-diamond bracelet. It's shaped like a stalking panther and it just became the star of the night. - Sold, £4 million. (gentle music) - [Narrator] Edward Windsor
was the eldest of six children, fathered by George, the Duke
of York, later King George V. He was born on the 23rd of June, 1894, when his great-grandmother,
Queen Victoria, ruled the British Empire. He was christened with seven names: Edward Albert Christian
George Andrew Patrick David. He chose David as his Christian name, and that's what the family
and close friends called him for the rest of his days. Life was not easy for David. His father was determined
to prepare his son for the job he would one day inherit. His childhood was along military lines: stand up straight, be
on time, dress properly, giving the young prince
a strong sense of duty. (crowd cheering) When his father became king, one of his first acts was to make Edward, now 17, the Prince of Wales, (crowd cheering) a lavish mini-coronation in
a medieval Welsh fortress, Caernarfon Castle. This grainy film of the ceremony shows King George personally
crowning his teenage son, who from then on would be known
as Edward, Prince of Wales. (guns firing) When the First World War
broke out in July 1914, Edward was among the first to sign up. Keen to see active service,
he joined the Grenadier Guards and became a staff officer, but the Prince of Wales was not allowed anywhere near the frontline. The secretary of state
for war, Lord Kitchener, feared not only that he might be killed but also that the Germans
might capture him alive. Edward pleaded to be allowed to fight with the men he was training with. He argued that he had three other brothers able to become heirs to the throne. Despite the ban on him fighting, Edward visited the
trenches whenever he could, and newsreel cameramen went with him to show the British people
that their heir to the throne was at the very heart of the battle. They didn't know that
the prince stayed behind when the men went over the top to take on the German machine guns. Edward was even given a Military Cross, one of the highest Army awards for valor. At the time, few knew
that he had not fired a single shot in anger. The public image of the future king was being carefully managed:
handsome, brave, and heroic. When the Great War ended, Edward
became a roving ambassador. He could do no wrong,
able to experience things that lesser mortals could only dream of. - [Reporter] From the Austrian Tyrol, we have secured the latest pictures of the Prince of Wales's
early attempts at skiing. The prince's aptitude for
all sports is well-known and it will not be long before he's found his
snow legs, so to speak. - [Narrator] If there was something that had never been done before,
he was the royal to try it. - [Reporter] Here is the first flight of the Prince of Wales over London. The prince sat next to the
pilot in the giant bomber and flew for an hour over the capital. At the end of the flight, the prince said it was a glorious stunt, a phrase which caught the fancy
of the world's journalists. - [Narrator] Edward had
become the pinup of his day. Women adored him, men envied
him: the ultimate bachelor. But his family wanted him to settle down, find a wife, and produce
an heir to the throne. But Edward wasn't interested. Married women were more his style, and one in particular had his eye: the American socialite Wallis Simpson. He first met her in 1931,
when he was 36 and she 41. It wasn't love at first sight. He already had a married
girlfriend, Thelma Furness, but there was something about
Wallis that intrigued him. By 1935, it was clear that
Edward and Mrs. Simpson had become an item, albeit a discreet one. They were regulars of London's
high-society social scene and the government of
the day was concerned. Mrs. Simpson was not only
married, she was an American. How would that sit with
the general public. When Edward tried to
officially introduce Wallis to his parents, they refused. The concern was so great
that the government ordered Scotland Yard's Special
Branch to spy on the couple. The surveillance was kept under wraps for more than 60 years. It only came to light when
the government decided to declassify some
royal documents in 2003. Sensitive papers
concerning the royal family are usually kept secret
for a hundred years, but these were released 36 years early; revealing police reports from 1935 which allege that during
her first year with Edward, Mrs. Simpson was also seeing another man. The mystery man, according to
the Special Branch officer, was a car salesman from Yorkshire. He was also married. His name was Guy Marcus Trundle. Staff working at the National Archives are far from sure that the 1935
reports are to be believed. - Now, I'm not saying that Mrs. Simpson did not have an affair with Guy Trundle. I just don't know. - [Narrator] The doubts have crept in because the reports have been spiced up by the undercover policeman
who spied on Mrs. Simpson. He writes that Wallis Simpson and her husband, Ernest, were Jews, an incorrect rumor that was
doing the rounds at the time. - I won't say I won't believe it, but I have not been
convinced that it's true, especially in the light of the
other pieces of information in these reports. - [Narrator] The police interest
in Edward and Mrs. Simpson came to an abrupt end in January 1936 with the death of George V. - [Reporter] Shortly after midnight, the world heard the
broadcast announcement. Death has come peacefully
to the king at 11:55 on Monday the 20th of January, 1936. - [Narrator] Britain
had a new king, Edward. - [Edward] To my mother
and to us, his children, the vast crowds assembled
reverently at the funeral, the homage to the late king's memory is a thing that we will never forget. - [Narrator] The way was now clear for him to pursue his affair with Mrs. Simpson, whatever the cost to the
country or his family. (triumphant trumpet music) - [Narrator] Guns boomed
out in the distance as a new chapter of English
history was unfolded by the garter command. - [Narrator] The garter command
were unfolding a new king and ruler of the then-British Empire. - High and mighty Prince
Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David is now Edward VIII. - [Narrator] The people
had high hopes for Edward, even braving driving rain
to see him in action. - [Narrator] Bad weather
spoiled the king's drive for the state opening of Parliament as a pageant and a spectacle, but it did not deter the crowds who lined the route to cheer His Majesty as he went to his first meeting with Parliament since his accession. He spoke optimistically of the future of industry and trade and of shipping and of the strengthening of
Britain's defense forces. While they are essential for
the defense of the empire, no opportunity will be lost for the promotion of peace
throughout the world. (gentle music)
(crowd cheering) - [Narrator] It was not peace but work which was challenging
the UK at the time, and the former prince of Wales found disastrous levels of
unemployment amongst the Welsh. - [Narrator] The grimmest
phase of all this tour came at Dowlais. The king inspected what had once been a busy and prosperous steelworks. 9,000 men lost their jobs
when this works closed down. The king left South Wales
with a determination that something must be done. - [Narrator] His
determination put him at odds with the government of the day. He was supposed to stay
out of political issues. But it wasn't only his politics
that worried the government. His relationship with Wallis Simpson was becoming evermore intense. He was showering her with jewelry and taking her on luxury holidays. Edward had been on the throne
for less than six months when his reign almost came to an end. A right-wing Irish extremist
tried to shoot him in Hyde Park during the Trooping of the Colour. - [Narrator] Near Quadriga
Arch, a man jumps out, pistol in hand, as the king passes. A mounted policeman lunges from his horse, there's a short scuffle, and the pistol falls
near the king's horse. And before any know what's happened, George Andrew McMahon is
hurried off in custody and later taken to Bow Street. - [Reporter] Mr. Bush, will you tell us exactly what happened? - I noticed a disturbance in the crowd and I saw three policemen arresting a man. - [Reporter] Did it look
like an actual attempt on the king's life? - Well, it all happened so quickly and was all over in a few seconds, one could not possibly form an opinion. But the most remarkable thing of all was the way in which the
king continued on his way at the head of his troops
as if nothing had happened. - [Narrator] As he continued
to carry out his duties, Edward VIII was also still
courting Mrs. Simpson out of the public eye. When news of it broke in the press, the government gave him an ultimatum: give up Wallis or renounce the throne. - Quite apart from the fact
that she isn't of noble blood, Mrs. Simpson has twice
been in the divorce courts. To my mind, that completely rules her out as queen of England. - I don't think anybody for a moment, with a single exception
of the king himself, thought that there was ever a chance of her being queen, ever. And I'm sure she didn't. She was much too sensible. 'Cause he was a very stupid man, you see, and she was a very intelligent woman. - [Narrator] As the
political debate raged, the people joined in too. - I think the king should
marry the woman he loves. - I reckon the king should
please himself who he marries 'cause he knows he's got
everybody behind him. - [Narrator] Despite the public support, Edward's throne was now on the line. - The nation is behind him
and we must not lose him. - [Narrator] On this day, the
decision of King Edward VIII was awaited with anxiety
throughout the empire. - [Narrator] And the decision was not what the people wanted to hear. - [Edward] A few hours ago, I discharged my last
duty as king and emperor. - [Narrator] Edward's
reason for abdicating was not political. - [Edward] I have found it impossible to carry the heavy
burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties
as king as I would wish to do without the help and
support of the woman I love. - [Narrator] Edward
became the Duke of Windsor and his younger brother,
Bertie, King George VI. The news sent shockwaves around the world. (camera shutters snapping) He had been king for just 325 days, the third-shortest reign in history. Wallis Simpson divorced
her husband, Ernest, and six months after giving up the throne, Edward quietly and privately married the woman he loved
in the South of France. She became the Duchess of Windsor, but Edward's brother, the new king, banned members of the royal household from attending the wedding. Edward was now in exile,
banished by his own family. Within months, the pair were in Germany, being feted by Adolf
Hitler and his henchmen. - [Reporter] A huge crowd greeted the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. The purpose of the visit was to study social institutions and welfare. - [Narrator] Edward and Wallis
studied Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's propaganda boss, and
had tea with Hermann Goring, commander of the Luftwaffe and
mastermind of the Holocaust. But the most important meeting of the lot was with the man who personally invited the duke and duchess to Germany. (Adolf speaking foreign language) (crowd cheering) - [Auctioneer] £2,000. - [Narrator] It is March 2016. (gavel pounding)
A rare photo album containing images of
Edward and Mrs. Simpson from that 1937 visit is being
sold to a private buyer, someone who doesn't want to be identified or have the pictures seen. - [Reporter] There are several pictures showing the Duke of
Windsor with Nazi officers. But pictures like this led to complaints that the duke was fraternizing
too openly with the Nazis. - [Narrator] The album
was sold for £5,600, but the photographs
are not the only record of Edward and Mrs. Simpson's
trip to see Hitler. German newsreel cameramen were there and filmed extensively
for propaganda purposes. The official visit gave
weight to the allegations that Edward was a Nazi sympathizer and a traitor king in the making. (audience applauding) The album doesn't contain one of the most infamous
images from the visit, one which shows the duke giving what looks like a Nazi salute. It was quietly sold for £1,800 at another auction in Wales in July 2015. Modern historians have uncovered evidence that Hitler intended putting
Edward on the throne again if Germany succeeded
in conquering Britain. - In 1940, there was a plot in Germany to put him back onto the British throne and he ended his life in 1970 saying, "Hitler wasn't a bad chap
in the Second World War. "It was the responsibility
of the Jews and the Reds." - [Narrator] Edward was no
stranger to German culture. His family had strong German connections and he spoke the language fluently. One of his best friends was Diana Mosley, wife of the fascist
leader Sir Edward Mosley. - Lift in your voices
in this great meeting in the heart of England! (crowd cheering) - [Narrator] Even though it disapproved of his German connections, the then-British government
found jobs for Edward, as far away from the UK as possible. - [Narrator] On the way
to take up his appointment as governor of the Bahamas, the Duke of Windsor called at Bermuda. A guard of honor was formed
by navy, army, and home guard. (upbeat music) - [Narrator] But the allegations
of Nazi collaboration were always there. - [Reporter] The royal
outcast's flirtation with Nazism is well-known. He and his wife visited Germany in 1937 and met Adolf Hitler. But was he a traitor prepared to see a Nazi victory in Britain in order to regain the throne with his wife, Wallis Simpson, as queen? - I think that he will
come over as a fool, as a man whose idiotic vanity and egotism drove him down a path that
was extremely injudicious. However, I do not think that
there's going to be anything to suggest that he actually actively helped Britain's
enemies during the war. - [Narrator] After the war, Edward and Wallis
effectively retired to Paris, where the French gave
them a palatial mansion. Edward's family did not
really want to see them, but they did return to
the UK occasionally. - [Narrator] Arriving at Hendon Airport, the Duke of Windsor returns to England for the first time since
1940 to visit his mother. In the grounds of Marlborough House, the duke was welcomed by Queen Mary, whom he had not seen for nine years. - [Narrator] The liner Queen
Elizabeth is ready to sail, as the Duke of Windsor
prepares to return to New York. He hopes to come back to Britain shortly. - Good morning.
- Good morning, sir. - [Man] They say you're coming back soon. - Yes, I hope to. - [Narrator] Wherever else they went, the duke and duchess were
treated like royalty. - [Narrator] The Duke and Duchess
of Windsor, in happy mood, arrive in the United States for
the first time in 18 months. - [Narrator] They particularly
enjoyed American presidents and Hollywood stars. As the '60s became the '70s,
Edward's health began to fail, prompting the royal family to begin the process of ending his exile. - [Narrator] His doctors wouldn't let him take tea with his visitors, so the duchess took them
upstairs afterwards to see him. The visit was arranged
at the queen's request. She spent 37 minutes there,
rather longer than planned. This was the first time that
she'd received the queen in her own home. - [Narrator] 10 days later, Edward died, less than a month short
of his 78th birthday. His body was flown back to Britain for burial at Windsor Castle. There was no state funeral,
no pomp and circumstance. - [Reporter] This was a simple service, a private act of remembrance by a small congregation of mourners. On top of the coffin there was no crown, but a wreath from the Duchess of Windsor. Outside, the public had
gathered once again, still wanting to pay their respects, even after two days of the lying in state. The service lasted half an hour. Then, with the queen, the Duchess of Windsor left the chapel. - [Narrator] The service
also finally laid to rest 36 years of feuding. Edward was back in the fold, as was the love of his life, Wallis. - [Reporter] This afternoon,
the duchess attended the last and completely private act of
remembrance for her husband: his burial at the Royal
Mausoleum at Frogmore within the grounds of Windsor Castle. And after that service, the duchess left immediately
for her home in Paris. She leaves with the memory
that this past week, thousands have shown their
affection to the last for her husband. (sorrowful music) Wallis spent her final
years in isolation in Paris, suffering from increasing dementia. - The mansion which the city
gave to her and her husband so many years ago stood forlorn today, the body of the duchess
still lying inside. The chimneys are corroded, the roof has not withstood the weather, and the boundary fence lies unrepaired. On Monday evening, the duchess's condition
suddenly deteriorated. Her staff called her doctor. He in turn summoned a Paris specialist, who diagnosed pneumonia. This morning, the duchess woke up feeling considerably better. But then, the fever quickly worsened and within two hours she was dead. And so, the drama which rocked Britain to its core 50 years ago ended here in the Bois
du Boulogne this morning. - [Narrator] She died
14 years after Edward and was buried next to
him at Windsor Castle. The Windsors have left a lasting legacy. Their love story has become the stuff of TV and movie legend. Many famous names have played the couple. Edward Fox played him in the TV series "Edwards and Mrs. Simpson." - [Reporter] Do you think
history treated him fairly? - Life treats all more or
less as we deserve to be. - [Narrator] And Madonna wrote
a Hollywood film about her- - I viewed it as the greatest
romance of the 20th century. - [Narrator] Called "W./E.,"
as in Wallis and Edward. - Well, I think it's a complex story and I don't think there's any real, there's no black-and-white. There's no real clearcut
villains, good guys, or bad guys. It was important for me to portray everyone in the film as a human being. - [Narrator] Even the actors
chosen to play the couple bought into their story. - He didn't try and hide his
life behind closed doors. He just enjoyed everything. And it was much more public and much more troublesome, I think, to the rest of the royal family than anybody really wanted it to be. - [Narrator] After all these years, what Edward really wanted is hard to tell. But one thing is clear: He really was the king
who gave up his throne for the woman he loved
until death did part them. (typewriter clacking) It's 1982. - It really is the beginning of a new era. - [Narrator] "Time" magazine
votes the personal computer Man of the Year- - [Reporter] Children are highly receptive to the new gadgets. It's adults who are computer-shy. (camera shutters snapping) - [Narrator] While the world's
press chase Princess Diana, who is a mother for the first time, giving birth to a boy, William,
who will one day be king. (crowd cheering) - I am ready now to get
out and do different stuff. There's so much I want to do. - [Narrator] A prince who
will become as popular as the People's Princess. - [Reporter] The adulation
that the young prince receives during official engagements has in the past appeared to embarrass him. - [Narrator] The people of Britain want William as their monarch,
sooner rather than later. - [Reporter] They will be king and queen. New surveys show that more than half would prefer William as the next monarch. (reverent music) (crowd applauding) - [Narrator] Prince William was born at St. Mary's Hospital in West London- - [Reporter] May we see your
son, Your Royal Highness? - [Narrator] And the nation celebrated. - [Reporter] It's a new prince. (crowd cheering) - [Reporter] With
confirmation of the birth, the celebrations began. - And all best health to our royal prince! (crowd cheering) - [Narrator] William is the
first heir to the British throne to be born in a public hospital. Just like his mother, Diana, he became a target for the press
from the day he could walk. His first day of school
at the age of three was a major event. - [Reporter] It seemed
half of Fleet Street were there to record this
small moment of history. There were no worries
about leaving his parents. The prince set off to
meet his new classmates with a determined swagger. The prince was introduced
to his classmates simply as William. As he left school at the
end of his first morning, Prince William proudly
held up a paper mouse. He'd made it himself
and was taking it home to show Mum and Dad. - [Narrator] When he was eight, William was sent to a
private boarding school. - So nice to meet you.
(camera shutters snapping) - [Reporter] The boarding fees
are more than £7,000 a year. Prince William is guarded here by 17 members of the
Royal Protection Squad. - [Narrator] Despite the
close Protection Squad, William soon made headlines
when a fellow pupil whacked him on the side of
the head with a golf club and the heir to the throne found himself heading for
hospital with a fractured skull, just weeks before his ninth birthday. - [Reporter] Up in his private ward, D7, Prince William is said to be comfortable and well on his way to a full recovery. Get-well presents have been arriving, among them a well-wrapped
teddy bear balloon. - [Narrator] When it
was time to send William to secondary school, his mother and father decided
to send their eldest son to one of the country's top schools, Eton. (bell tolling) - [Reporter] His father,
the Prince of Wales, went to Gordonstoun and said it was like
serving a prison sentence. He's determined that Prince
William's school days should be happy ones. - [Narrator] Eton is
famous for educating kings and political leaders who
end up running the world. - Now, he is, of course,
not a normal schoolboy, nor indeed is Eton a normal school. Will he fit in easily or
will he face extra pressure because of who he is? - It's hard to say they're
unused to celebrity or royalty even. There are royalty from
all around the world who go to this school. So, of course, he'll be
special in one sort of way, but I doubt boys in the school or even masters will make much of it. - [Narrator] But the press did. The new boy was under siege. Something had to be done. Time for the chairman of the
Press Complaints Commission, Lord Wakeham, to step in. - [Reporter] Lord Wakeham
took the opportunity of an engagement at the London Press Club to appeal to editors to
respect the complete privacy of Princes William and Harry. For two years, the media has agreed not to intrude on the princes
while they're in school, but Lord Wakeham wants the truce expanded and extended until they're grown up. - I think it should cover the whole time that they're having education. There should be no intrusion
into their privacy. - [Narrator] William was
nicknamed Wills at Eton, and for two years he was
able to make his mistakes behind the school's closed doors. The death of his mother changed everything and thrust him back into the limelight. When disaster struck, the royal family were
on holiday in Scotland. - [Reporter] For the past five days, most of the royal family,
including the queen, have been 521 miles away at Balmoral, leaving the palace empty,
with no flag flying. - [Narrator] William was also at Balmoral, as his father tried to protect him from the outpouring of
grief going on in London. - Opinion here is divided, but increasingly today much of the anger which was at first
directed at the paparazzi has been focused on the royals themselves. - Well, they must be
very, very cold-hearted not to have a flag up. I think it's a disgrace
on the whole royal family. - [Narrator] As the family's
popularity plummeted, the queen tried to head
off the growing criticism. - The queen has asked me to say that the royal family have
been hurt by suggestions that they are indifferent
to the country's sorrow and the tragic death of
the Princess of Wales. The princess was a
much-loved national figure, but she was also a mother
whose sons miss her deeply. - [Narrator] The sons helped save the day by spending time with those
grieving for their mother. - [Woman] William, William! - Thank you so much, thank you. - [Woman] Oh, hold on. - [Narrator] It was a masterstroke and cemented William's
place as the successor to his mother's position
as the people's royal. William achieved good grades at Eton, enough to guarantee him
a place at university, but he surprised everyone by
deciding to take a gap year. - [Reporter] He's chosen to
spend most of it in Chile with the youth charity
Rally International, working on environment
and community projects. - I wanted to do something constructive. I thought this was a bit more of a way of trying to help people out and meeting a whole
range of different people from different countries and
at the same time helping people in remote areas of Chile. I raised, myself, about £5,500. - [Reporter] Did your
father chip in as well? - He might have helped
slightly, not very much, though. - I chip in all the
bloody time! (laughing) (crowd laughing) - [Narrator] William was now 18, and for the first time he began to reveal his true feelings towards the press corps that was now reporting his every move. - I think Prince William has
a great number of reasons for disliking the media in general, most particularly, of course, when you think of what
they did to his mother, the Princess of Wales. - [Narrator] Matters came to a head when Princess Diana's
former private secretary, Patrick Jephson, decided to write a book about life inside the royal household. - [Reporter] Patrick Jephson, seen here being handed a card by Diana, was a senior aide for eight years. In his book already being
serialized in the "Sunday Times," he portrays her as a schemer and a liar. - Well, of course, Harry and I both are quite upset about it, that our mother's trust is being betrayed and that even now she's
still being exploited, but I don't really wanna
say any more on that. Sorry. - Tonight, Patrick Jephson
defended his decision to go ahead with the book. "I'm sure that when
the whole book is read, "it will eventually be seen to be truthful "and sympathetic to the
memory of the late princess." This is the first time that Prince William has spoken publicly about
his mother since her death. It's a sign of the deep hurt that he and Prince Harry clearly feel at the continuing press
coverage over Diana. Prince William, for one,
now seems determined to put a stop to it. - I think we're very much seeing a royal for the new century: very relaxed, not stage-managed, happy to josh a bit with his
father in an informal way, but not scared to say
exactly what he's feeling and certainly not prepared to
dodge the difficult issues. - [Narrator] The difficult issues included having a private
life at St Andrews University, where he enrolled under
the name William Wales. (crowd cheering) - [Reporter] Even before he'd attended a single lecture of
his art history course, he spent several minutes
meeting the crowds, some of whom had waited hours for the chance to wish him well. - [Narrator] This time,
the media played ball and backed off, gaining
a royal seal of approval. - I've been left alone by the media in a big way, actually, and
for that I am very grateful. It's been three-and-a-half
years, obviously, so far where I've been very independent and been left alone to just
sorta study and do my own thing. - [Narrator] Doing his own thing
meant not thinking too much about the throne he would one day inherit. - [Reporter] You must have the
odd thought in a quiet moment about a day when you would be king. - I look on the bright side of everything. There's no point in being pessimistic or being worried about too many things because, frankly, life's too short. - [Narrator] Looking on the brighter side included having a love life. William was now a sex symbol,
adored by women of all ages. - I've had lotsa kids come
up and ask for my autograph. I've had grandmothers stop me and ask me if they know any good
places to buy underwear. - [Reporter] And do you? - No, actually, I don't. (laughing) I was a bit stuck by that one. And actually, that was the first one- I didn't mind being proposed to, but that one really caught me out. - [Narrator] Like most
university students, William wanted to have fun, but being a future king
meant keeping a low profile. His friends coined a codename, Steve, which enabled them to talk
openly about him and his exploits without anyone else knowing
who they were referring to. - To begin with, obviously, his fellow students were very aware, "This is Prince William." And now he's, to all intents and purposes, a very regular student. He lives an ordinary student life. He's worked really hard
not to let his presence disrupt his fellow students' existence. - [Narrator] Being
called Steve also helped when it came to dating the young woman who had first caught his eye
as he arrived at St Andrews, 18-year-old Kate Middleton. Prince William and Kate
Middleton met as teenagers during their first year at university. Their rooms in the St
Andrews Hall of Residence were close to each other. They became friends, but it
wasn't true love at first sight. It took this costume and
charity modeling show for William's head to be
well and truly turned. He paid £200 for her
to take to the catwalk. - She wore something a little bit risque with such dignity you
couldn't help but notice her. And so, yes, that was perhaps the time when he really sort of saw her as something a little bit special. - [Narrator] It was to be two more years before the press got something to really get their teeth into: William and Kate, together
on a Swiss ski slope. Three months later, they both graduated. William's grandmother,
the queen, was there as he collected a geography
degree and Kate one in history. (William laughing) - [Reporter] In his own words, it is time now for the big wide world. But today, William's
family, like any other, well, almost, came to say a proud farewell to a place that has allowed him a more normal life than
any royal in history. And partly, of course,
it's been about this woman. - [Announcer] Katherine Middleton. (audience applauding) - [Reporter] Very soon,
Kate Middleton could be one of the most famous women in the world, and yet she must try to forge
a career on her own terms. This was a proud day for the family and an occasion with its
own quirky traditions, like being patted on the
head with a leather pouch containing a fragment of the trousers of a 16th-century preacher. Peculiar? You said it. - [Narrator] For two years,
Kate tried to forge a career on her own terms, but the
media wouldn't leave her alone. - [Reporter] Before Kate
Middleton had even got engaged, the media fascination was evident. Little wonder that the palace has today compared her
experience to that of Diana. Lessons were learned from the
tragic end of the Diana story, but clearly not by everyone. - [Narrator] It wasn't long
before Kate had had enough. Her solicitors wrote to the
Press Complaints Commission, saying she was being continually harassed. (camera shutters snapping) - Probably the biggest
difficulty the royal family has in fulfilling its role these days is the fact that there is a
sort of 24/7 global media. - [Narrator] But William and Kate didn't shut the media out altogether. They were photographed hugging in public for the first time in Switzerland. Speculation about engagement
and marriage stopped when William followed royal tradition and joined Britain's armed forces. - [Reporter] 12 grueling
months of training go into making an officer, and being second-in-line to the throne doesn't entitle you to an easy ride. - Put the weapon down! - [Reporter] And this,
counterinsurgency training, with William taking part
in a hostage dilemma at a vehicle checkpoint. Before cadets can graduate, they must take part in
Operation Winter Victory, a tough 10-day exercise in Cypress. A traditional ceremony at
the end sees the recruits putting on their regimental
berets for the first time. - [Narrator] When William made the grade, Kate was there to watch
his passing-out parade. It was her first official
royal engagement, and the rumor mill went into overdrive. - [Reporter] Talk of a wedding has always been pooh-poohed
by the prince himself. (William laughing) - No, I don't think so. (laughing) - [Reporter] Royal watchers
say palace officials are equally dismissive today. - [Narrator] Despite the denials, some retailers jumped
on a royal bandwagon, to William and Kate's dismay. - They were utterly astonished that Woolworth's had done this, and they say there is nothing
on the cards at the moment of an engagement announcement. - [Narrator] Behind the scenes, the relationship had become strained and the couple had agreed to split. - [Reporter] They looked so good together. Who didn't think that in Kate William had found the
perfect future bride? ITV News has learnt that Kate and William had in fact split before and
that this time it's final. - He has the feeling with his
parents' marriage breaking up that he just doesn't
want to make a mistake, but I think it's more the
fact that he just cannot make the commitment right now in his life. - [Narrator] Now that
they were both single, William and Kate were regularly
photographed out and about, apparently enjoying themselves separately. It was William who blinked first. - William suddenly saw these
pictures in the newspapers of her leaving nightclubs
with quite eligible young men and thought, "I've made
a bit of a mistake here." - [Narrator] But William couldn't do much to rectify the mistake,
even if he wanted to. His royal duties were gathering pace, as he picked up qualifications
fit for a future king. - [Announcer] Flying
Officer William Wales, graduating with Number
227 and in the 97 Forces. (audience applauding) - [Reporter] When the moment arrived, the Prince of Wales was
simply beaming with delight. He was here in his dual
role of air chief marshal and, of course, proud dad. - [Narrator] William was now a Royal Air Force helicopter pilot with something to win over the woman he now realized he loved. - [Reporter] If you want surefire way to impress the girlfriend, then landing your helicopter
in her back garden might be hard to beat. William, who was recently
awarded his RAF wings, touched down in a field in the grounds of Kate Middleton's family
home earlier this month. The prince was flying a Chinook helicopter similar to this one. It was the same aircraft he
used on a separate occasion to pick up brother Harry
en route to a stag party. - [Narrator] William's military graduation coincided with wars being
fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. Like his brother, Harry, he yearned for action on the frontline. - I didn't join the forces to be, like I said lots of times before, mollycoddled or treated any different. And I think, as a future
head of the armed forces, it's really important that I
at least get the opportunity to be credible and to do
the job that I signed up for and to do the best I can. - [Narrator] For William,
there was to be no opportunity to do the best he could, but Harry was able to do
two tour in Afghanistan. - The guys who are
doing the same job as us are being shot at on the ground, and I don't think there's anything wrong with us being shot at as well. And, yeah, people back home
will have issues with that, but we're not special. The guys out there are, simple as that. - [Narrator] William was special, and the closest he got to action was as an Air Force
search-and-rescue pilot. (helicopter blades churning) - It was totally apparent
to me straightaway how important the job is. Every day, you come into work and you don't quite know
what's gonna happen. It's quite exciting in that
sense, it's unpredictable. But at the same time, it's
great that you get to go out and actually save someone's life or at least make a difference to someone when you know that they're in trouble. - [Narrator] That
difference was soon clear. On his very first mission,
William was the co-pilot in the rescue of a heart attack victim from an offshore oil rig. As Britain struggled to recover
from the Great Recession caused by the collapse
of the banking system, the royal family broke the
news everyone was waiting for. - I think it's the best news
we heard for a long, long time. After recession now is depression. At least we'll have
something to celebrate. - To have a royal wedding next year is so important for the tourist trade. - [Narrator] Not everybody was happy. Britain was still in austerity mode. Every penny was being counted. - [Reporter] If it's anything
like Charles an Di's, next year's wedding is
going to be a huge event, and huge royal events
mean huge security bills. So, who exactly is gonna pay for all this? Here's a clue. It starts with a T and
ends with "axpayer." - It would be really inappropriate for them to have a lavish
ceremony at a time like this when there's such huge
pressure on public finances. - [Reporter] "Shall we," he said. - [Narrator] William and Kate
married in Westminster Abbey on April the 29th, 2011.
(crowd cheering) - [Reporter] And with that,
the most anticipated moment of the most watched event ever, fleeting and, like the best of shows, leaving the audience wanting more. (crowd cheering) - [Narrator] Almost
immediately, they got more. - Ladies and gentlemen, I now announce that the
Princess Katherine doll is now on sale, thank you! - [Narrator] Royal
memorabilia by the truckload, from coins to condoms. - [Reporter] Value of this royal wedding to the economy is £620 million in extra spending by
tourists and Brits alike. - [Narrator] But William
is more than a moneymaker. Being an heir to the throne usually means your life is not your own. - [Reporter] Prince William
is now at a crossroads in his military career. He must decide whether or
not to stay in uniform. The alternative, of course, is to follow his father's footsteps from the military to
full-time royal duties. - [Narrator] William didn't follow, but he did leave the military to become a full-time air ambulance pilot as a part of the trauma
rescue team in East Anglia. - [Reporter] Starting a new
job can be intimidating, even for a future king. - I just wanna say I'm
very, very happy to be here. First day, nerves. (laughing) - [Reporter] William is the first royal in direct line to the throne to take on a paid and
taxable job in civilian life. He's earning £40,000 a year here. He doesn't need the money and
will give it all to charity. - [Narrator] The move drew
criticism from those who believed he was avoiding his duties as future king. - Full-time royal role is
bandied around quite a lot and no one actually really
knows what that means. But I think I can still
manage to do my commitments and my responsibilities as well as I can, but equally do something that I think is incredibly important and that will prove me
hopefully in good stead for the future. - [Narrator] The future
for William is uncertain. Apart from his grandmother, the queen, Britain's longest-serving monarch, he has become the most popular
member of the royal family. - I think William's got it
in him to be a good king. - [Narrator] Many people in Britain now believe the long-term
prospects for the monarchy would be improved if William
and Kate were next in line. (bells tolling) - [Reporter] They will be king and queen. New surveys show that more than half would prefer William as the next monarch. - [Narrator] In the
meantime, William and Kate must get used to be
international superstars, photographed and feted wherever they go. - I think they're quite a nice role model for the young generation. - [Narrator] But William's
personal battle with the media is far from over. His children have become
targets and he wants it stopped. - [Reporter] The paparazzi
pursuit of Prince George amounts to stalking, raising questions of not just harassment but child protection and security. - Would you be happy if there
was a series of photographers who were always following you around, taking pictures of your children who are young as two and as babies? - [Reporter] Last week,
police found a photographer using the boot of his car as a hide to keep the prince under surveillance, and it's claimed other
children have been used to lure George into view. - If you can't have any
privacy in the world, I can't see anybody wanting to be a member of the royal family. It's not worth it. Your soul gets destroyed. (soft reverent music)
