Though Prince William occasionally gives us a glimpse of his goofy side [1] (especially while joking around with his wife [2]), it's easy to see that Prince Harry is far more chill than his older brother. The royal heartthrob [3] has done a lot of growing up [4] since getting together with Meghan Markle [5], but his responsibilities still don't compare to William's. The two brothers are even considering creating two separate offices [6] at Kensington Palace, which would allow space for forging their own paths and reflect their increasingly different responsibilities. Here are just five reasons life as Prince Harry is way easier than life as Prince William.
William Will Likely Become King, and Harry Will Not
William is second in line — after his father, Prince Charles — to ascend to the throne, and Harry is sixth, with William's three children in line before him. As the odds are so slim that Harry will ever become king (and very likely that William will after his father), there's far less scrutiny on Harry's behaviour and choices.
William Will Have to Handle the Duchy of Cornwall
When Prince Charles eventually ascends to the throne, William will inherit his title as Duke of Cornwall, as well as the rights and responsibilities of the Duchy of Cornwall. The duchy was created to provide income for the heir apparent, and it consists of an investment portfolio and 133,658 acres of land in over 23 countries. Though Harry will also likely have an unofficial say in its handling, most duties will fall on William while Harry still reaps the profit.
Harry Has Never Been Accused of Being a "Reluctant Royal"
Even though Harry has felt resentment towards his royal duties [7] at times, it seems that only his brother has even received flack for not fully investing himself in his responsibilities. In 2017, William left his job as a helicopter pilot with East Anglian Air Ambulance (a position he really loved [8]) after facing public criticism [9] for not dedicating as much time in his royal duties as his aunt, Princess Anne, or his father. Harry, meanwhile, ended his 10-year military career in 2015 of his own volition.
Harry Is More Extroverted Than William
Though Harry's relative distance from the throne allows him to far more unguarded than his brother, it is still widely agreed that Harry is much warmer and more comfortable with the public than William. While William is busy protecting the family name and upholding the image of the throne, Harry is allowed far more freedom to be playful, and because of his openness, the public is willing to forgive him for all of the naughtiness of his youth [10].
Harry Received Nearly a Decade More of Bachelor Life Than William
William and Kate dated for eight years before he proposed in October of 2010, and together they share three children. Though Harry is soon to become a dad himself, he and Meghan had a whirlwind courtship, only dating a little over a year before Harry popped the question. Things are sure to change for Harry in the next year, but he still enjoyed nearly ten more years of bachelorhood than his brother, where his only concerns were for himself, not a relationship or family.