Prince William Threw Himself Into School as a Distraction When Princess Diana Died
Prince William wasn't a great student in school, but he pleasantly surprised his teachers when he passed his GCSEs. Sadly, Will's academic success came when he threw himself into his studies as a distraction after the death of his mother, Princess Diana.

- Prince William was apparently not the best student in his high school days. The young royal "pleasantly surprised" his teachers when he passed all twelve of his GCSEs, according to royal expert and biographer Katie Nicholl.
- Sadly, William's academic success came on the heels of a great loss, the death of his mother, Princess Diana. According to Nicholl, Will threw himself into his studies as a means of distraction after his mother's tragic death.
- Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997.
Being royal doesn't mean that you're automatically great at everything, even though it can definitely seem like it does from the outside. Case-in-point: Prince William might be second in line to the British throne, but the future King of England was also a lackluster student in high school.
In her book Kate: The Future Queen, royal expert and biographer Katie Nicholl shares some details about Will's time in high school, before his now-famous college meet-cute with his future wife, Kate Middleton. According to Nicholl, Will always knew that he was different from his classmates and chose to lean into any awkwardness about his royal status with jokes:
"Throughout his school life, William was well aware of how different he was. He would joke on the weekends that he was 'off to WC,' which baffled his friends at first until they realized he didn't mean the toilet, but nearby Windsor Castle, 'to see Granny.'"
But, being popular and funny doesn't always mean being the best of students and Will was no exception. In fact, his teachers at Eton College (Will's secondary school—the British equivalent of high school) apparently didn't think Will would even pass his GCSEs—General Certificate of Secondary Education, a set of tests that, if passed, basically give students the equivalent of their high school diploma.
"He had pleasantly surprised his teachers at Eton when he passed each of his twelve GCSEs, excelling in English, history, and languages," Nicholl wrote.
That's great, of course, but one of the reasons that Will appeared to turn things around academically? That's just devastating. The teenaged royal apparently focused on school as a way to cope with the loss of his mother, Princess Diana, who died in a car accident in August 1997.
"The loss to Prince William and Prince Harry was almost unbearable, and when William returned to school, he threw himself into his studies as a distraction," Nicholl explained.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
RELATED STORIES
Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
Queen Mary Forced to Cancel Engagements Due to Illness
"Her Majesty The Queen, like many others right now, has become ill."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Why Princess Kate and Prince William "May Need a Referee"
Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis could get caught in the middle, according to one royal expert.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Kate Middleton Pairs a Sleek Navy Coat With $100 Earrings
The Princess of Wales debuted the brand new pair of hoop earrings at the sporting event.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Why Princess Kate and Prince William "May Need a Referee" Amid Major Differing Opinions
Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis could get caught in the middle, according to one royal expert.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Princess Kate Might Miss an Important Family Milestone Involving Sister Pippa Middleton
The Princess of Wales's schedule may have forced her to make a difficult decision.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Prince William Says He's "Trying Not to Be Biased" When It Comes to His Kids and This "Passionate" Choice
He's fine with Prince George, Prince Charlotte and Prince Louis making their own decisions.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
The Surprising Detail About Princess Diana's Earrings You Probably Missed at Kate Middleton's Latest Appearance
The Princess of Wales wore her late-mother-in-law's pearl drops for Commonwealth Day 2025.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
7 Times the Royal Family Broke Queen Elizabeth's More Understated "Rule"
These royal women are doing it their way.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Prince William Admits He Has a Secret Online Habit: "I Get Quite Into It"
"I can be on there for ages."
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Prince William Could be Getting a New Title Very Soon Following Exciting News
The Prince of Wales would be taking on a very important role.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Americans Have a Surprising Favorite Member of the Royal Family, Per Latest Poll—and It Isn't Princess Kate
The rankings are wildly different than the same U.K. survey.
By Kristin Contino Published