As Britain's future king, Prince William is used to attracting attention at large-scale events and ceremonies, but becoming a viral sensation may come as more of a surprise to the royal once noted for his shyness.
In recent weeks, William has been at the center of a number of internet posts and video clips. These have not only found an audience among royal fans but have also crossed over into viral territory, gaining millions of views and sparking international discussion across social-media platforms.
The prince has taken on more of a public-facing role within the monarchy since the beginning of 2024, as both his father, King Charles III, and his wife, Princess Kate, have seen their public appearances impacted by cancer diagnoses.
After periods where he stepped back completely from royal duties to care for Kate and the couple's three children, William has undertaken solo visits and engagements that have drawn the attention of the press and social-media fans.
As Kate released a positive update on her health in mid-June, William has been seen at some more informal events, resulting in a number of lighthearted moments that have sparked interest online.
From dancing the night away at a Taylor Swift concert in London to whizzing from one part of Windsor Castle in Berkshire, U.K., to another on an e-scooter, William has found himself the monarchy's unlikely king of viral moments.
Dancing Prince
On June 21, speculation that Prince William and his two eldest children—Prince George, 10, and Princess Charlotte, 9—had attended the opening night of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour shows in London were confirmed. Footage of the royal dancing at the performance was shared by a fellow concertgoer online.
The night was William's 42nd birthday, and the footage of him letting loose to Swift's hit song "Shake it Off" quickly went viral on X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, gaining millions of views and being picked up by international news outlets and talk shows.
Adding to the video's popularity, fans cut together edits comparing William's dance skills to those of his youngest son, Prince Louis (6).
After the show, both Kensington Palace in London and Swift released images of a backstage meeting between the royals and the pop superstar, which were also widely reshared.
Regal Drama
When William attended a church service for the members of the Order of the Thistle in Edinburgh, Scotland, with Charles and Queen Camilla this month, it was a slickly edited video put out by Kensington Palace that captured internet users' attention.
Opening a compilation of clips from throughout the day's events, footage of William striding through a palace corridor wearing the historic Thistle robes was noted for its cinematic drama, being shared by fans of the royal on X and going viral.
Scooter Speed
Following the Edinburgh trip, William was spotted at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, by a member of the public, who had been viewing the state apartments that are regularly opened to visitors throughout the year.
William was seen speeding away from the sovereign's entrance of the castle's main quadrangle on an e-scooter, presumably headed in the direction of his home of Adelaide Cottage in the castle grounds.
Captioned "Happy 4th of July from Prince William on a scooter," the video was shared by a number of different accounts across X, TikTok and Facebook, generating millions of views, likes and comments.
Soccer Passion
William's most-recent public appearance drew increased public attention in England as he traveled to Germany to watch the national soccer team take part in a quarterfinal game in the Euro 2024 tournament.
Cameras covering the event at the Düsseldorf Arena caught the highs and lows of the prince's reactions as he watched the England team play against Switzerland, in his capacity as president of the Football Association.
Footage of William's tense anticipation and eventual jubilation during the penalty shootout stage of the game (which England won), quickly went viral, being used by sports fans to illustrate their own reactions.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
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