Albeit not a requirement, learning a foreign language is common in the royal family. Even Prince George and Princess Charlotte are already on their way to becoming bilingual — and they have quite the built-in tutor. Prince William is one of the most impressive linguists in the royal family and allegedly knows at least five foreign languages (some of which he is fluent in!).
What languages does Prince William speak?
Just like his children, Prince William started learning a foreign language at a young age — partly because his father wanted him to be fluent in Welsh before becoming the Prince of Wales. But while some members of the royal family know one or two languages, the Duke of Cambridge has them beat with five (and possibly more). What languages does Prince William speak? Find out, below.
French
Many members of the royal family, including Prince William, are fluent in French. The Duke of Cambridge along with Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Prince Edward, Princess Anne, and Prince Andrew all speak the language. Apparently, Kate Middleton also knows the language and Meghan Markle might know a little, too.
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The Duke of Cambridge visited a programme called “Future Dads”, set up by the charity #Futuremen in London this morning. The charity is located in London and provides advice and support for fathers, helping to develop their confidence as dads. The Duke met Dads who had taken part in a course and practical sessions to prepare them for fatherhood – where he said that: “It’s quite daunting how tiny they [babies] are when they arrive.” His Royal Highness also joined a “self-care” session. The Duke works to reduce stigma around mental health as part of The Royal Foundation @heads_together campaign.
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Swahili
While he is not fluent, Prince William allegedly knows a little Swahili. The Duke of Cambridge taught himself the language in his college years and even spoke it while on a royal visit to Tanzania.
Welsh
Learning to speak Welsh is an important part of Prince William’s training for his future Prince of Wales position. In fact, he has been training nearly all his life for the role. According to a 2003 report from BBC, the Duke of Cambridge planned to spend around six months in Wales after graduating from St Andrews in Scotland. “I happen to know that, when he finishes at St Andrews University, he is coming to Wales for at least six months, to learn the language. He wants to learn that in preparation for the days when he of course also becomes Prince of Wales,” royal biographer Brian Hoey shared with the publication ahead of his stay.
While it’s unclear if the future Prince of Wales actually visited Wales after his graduation, Prince William was already familiar with the language in college. He allegedly started learning Welsh at Eton in 1999, as Prince Charles was “anxious” for Prince William to become fluent in the language before crowning him Prince of Wales.
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The Duke of Cambridge, Colonel of the @IrishGuards, joined Number Two Company for a training session at the Laikipia Training Area in Kenya
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Gaelic
In addition to Welsh, Prince William also knows some Gaelic. It’s unclear whether or not the Duke of Cambridge is fluent in the language or if he is more familiar with the Scottish or Irish Gaelic (which is also called Irish).
Spanish
Some reports claim that Prince William might also know a little Spanish — which is the language his children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte are currently learning. If that’s the case, the future king knows six languages (including English). Talk about impressive!
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In the classroom to see the future of conservation and the fight to #EndWildlifeCrime in Tanzania — The Duke of Cambridge, @UnitedforWildlife President, met future rangers at the College of African Wildlife Management. The Duke learned more about how using SMART technology can help understand the behaviours of both wildlife and poachers, ensuring students studying at CAWM will be better equipped to fight poaching and protect wildlife.
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Royal family foreign languages
Prince William isn’t the only royal with knowledge of numerous foreign languages. His father, Prince Charles can also speak around four languages (including French, Welsh, and Gaelic) and his grandfather, Prince Philip grew up in a family that spoke German, French, and English.
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