Seeing Prince William with a protective arm around George may seem unremarkable by today’s standards.
Why wouldn’t a father hold his son in a strange rugby locker room surrounded by giant athletes after they’ve just lost a Rugby World Cup quarter-final to Argentina?
But this is the royal family we’re talking about, where outward gestures of warmth haven’t been particularly encouraged over the years.
Until the arrival of William’s mother, Lady Diana Spencer.
Prince William and his son Prince George chat to a Welsh rugby player after Wales’ match against Argentina in the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup on Saturday
Diana, the late Princess of Wales, and her son Prince William outside Wetherby School in London after dropping off Prince Harry in September 1991
“I live for my sons.” “Without them I would be lost,” Diana once said. Not a feeling associated with Queen Elizabeth II – let alone her formidable grandmother, Queen Mary.
In November 1985, Diana said: “Most importantly, [my role is] Being a mother and wife. That’s what I’m trying to achieve; Whether I do is another matter, but I’m trying.’
While others prioritized duty, Diana prioritized being a hands-on mother, in the truest sense of the word. Today it seems as if her son, the Prince of Wales, is following her example.
George – a future Prince of Wales – had attended the Wales-Argentina game with his father, who is a patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, while his mother watched the corresponding England game.
He was dressed like a miniature version of William, both wearing matching navy suits and red ties – the latter appearing to be a patriotic nod to the Welsh side.
The father-son duo then met some of the Welsh rugby players to commiserate over their loss.
Trooping the Color has elicited another range of echoes over the years, with William’s body language often seeming to be reminiscent of his late mother’s.
Whether in public or private, Princess Diana was often pictured holding Prince Harry, and Prince William was still young.
And while William may not cuddle his children in public as often as the late Princess of Wales, he will never turn down the opportunity to comfort his children.
Prince Harry, Princess Diana, the Queen Mother and Prince William on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Color ceremony in London in June 1989
Prince William appears to repeat his own mother’s gesture in June 2022
The Princess of Wales with her sons after arriving at Aberdeen Airport in August 1989
The Prince of Wales and his two eldest children George and Charlotte visit Cardiff Castle in June 2022
The then-Prince Charles presented Diana with a baby Prince Harry during the 1985 Trooping of the Color ceremony on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Diana’s informality was a stark contrast when she entered the royal family
Prince Louis reaches out to his father Prince William as Princess Charlotte waves to crowds during Trooping The Color in 2019
Diana and Prince William watch Prince Charles play polo on Smith’s Lawn in May 1987
William and Prince George attend the traditional Easter Sunday service at St. George’s Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle in April 2022
The love between Diana and her sons was evident in photographs, as seen in a snapshot of the late Princess of Wales and William during a polo match in May 1987.
In the picture, the young king is seen clutching his mother’s hand tightly as she places her hand on his forehead.
George, who is second in line to the throne, remained close to his father, who placed his hands on George’s shoulders during the traditional Easter Sunday service at St George’s Chapel in April last year.
Given the hectic pace of royal life, her parents’ support is essential.
Prince William and Prince Harry greet their mother Diana on the deck of the royal yacht Britannia in Toronto, Canada in October 1991
Prince William comforts his daughter Princess Charlotte as the royals attend the Birmingham Commonwealth Games ice hockey match in August 2022
Diana with Prince Harry on holiday in Mallorca, Spain, in August 1987
Prince William hugs Prince George during a children’s party for military families during the Royal Tour of Canada in September 2016 in Victoria, Canada