Prince William Was A Daredevil At Nursery, Nicknamed ‘Basher Wills’

Today, second in line to the British throne Prince William possesses all the qualities that a future modern-day monarch should have. He is calm and composed and has that amazing charisma of being able to connect with the masses, a trait that his mother, Princess Diana, likewise had.

But the young Prince William was very different compared to the polished young man he is today. Back at nursery, he was known for being full of mischief and for being a daredevil.

In fact, the young Prince William’s behavior earned him his “Basher Will” nickname. “One of the nicknames for him when he was little was ‘Basher Wills’ because he wasn't afraid to get into a few scraps,” royal correspondent Katie Nicholl explained.

The young Prince William was likewise a daredevil during his nursery days. “He was a little bit of a daredevil, he liked getting up to all sorts of mischief,” Dickie Arbiter, former royal press officer, said.

He was also not afraid to speak his mind. “Now William, you’ve got to be careful now because when you go to school there will be lots of photographers and press,” royal protection officer Ken Wharfe recalled Princess Diana telling her first born. “I don’t like ‘tographers,” was the young prince’s honest response.

Princess Diana was adamant to have Prince William and Prince Harry enroll at a public nursery school to give the boys the most normal upbringing possible despite being members of royalty. Previously, young royal children received education via private tutors and governesses.

“She made the decision that no matter what, despite all the difficulties of growing up in that limelight and on that royal stage, she was going to ensure that both of us had as normal a life as possible,” Prince Harry said in 2017. As a result, his brother, Prince William, became the first heir to the British throne to have attended a public nursery.

It’s hard to imagine how much Prince William’s personality has changed over the years. Being Prince Charles’ eldest son, he was groomed to be a future monarch and grew up to be a calm and responsible man. On the other hand, younger brother Prince Harry was known for being a “wild child” during his younger years.