Prince William Was The ‘Original One Direction’ – The Frenzy He Caused In Canada 18 Years Ago
In celebration of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s current visit in Canada, several people have reminisced on how Prince William was met by hundreds of teenage girls in March 24, 1998. “He was the original One Direction,” remarked Keith Roy, a spokesman for the Monarchist League of Canada, to Toronto Sun. Prince William was then 15, and he was vacationing with his father and younger brother.
During their stay in Vancouver, the girls reportedly couldn’t believe that they were seeing real-life princes. The visit was deemed comforting for the brothers too because it was their first trip abroad following the death of Princess Diana. The frenzy Prince William caused was called by the press the “Wills mania.” Roy had an explanation why the prince captured the hearts of many nearly two decades ago.
“He was always a nice kid. Then to watch him go through the tragedy of his mother dying and still hold himself together and be stately, be strong and be vulnerable — that’s quite the threat when girls are looking for characteristics in a guy.”
One teenager even attempted to deliver a teddy bear paired with a bouquet of flowers to Prince Willam’s hotel. A police officer eventually caught her, but she protested that her only reason was for the prince “to know his future wife.”
Prince William's visit to B.C. draws memories of frenzied 1998 trip https://t.co/mNvTNA7bZ0 pic.twitter.com/fZDubjNdcz
— Be Vancouver (@TeamVBC) September 21, 2016
Taryn Stephenson, another former “fangirl,” vividly recalled Prince William’s 1998 visit to CBC News.
“That was a special time. I don’t think I slept for a week thinking about it. It was like a British invasion. It was like Spice Girls and Prince William and it was crazy.”
The then 13-year-old Stephenson skipped school that day to be the first in line waiting for the princes as they stop by at the planetarium. She admits that her feelings for Prince William aren’t the same anymore. She believes her “love affair” is now with Kate Middleton because of her impeccable fashion style.
Many are delighted that Prince William is returning to the country with his own family. Duchess Catherine, who’s still fondly called “Kate Middleton” by many, said that Prince George and Princess Charlotte were “super excited” about the idea of sleeping on a plane. The children might have endured a long-haul flight, but they remained cheerful upon touching down.
In a speech, Prince William said that he’s happy to be back. He recalled the last time he visited the country with his wife.
“Catherine and I are delighted to be back in Canada. When we were here last time, we had been married only three months. The warm welcome that you gave us at that important moment in our lives meant a lot to us – and we have never forgotten it. That is why we are so pleased that George and Charlotte can be with us in Canada this time round, beginning their own lifetime of friendship with this wonderful country.”
He hasn’t forgotten the “Wills mania” and the happy memories that it caused when he was visiting “as a shy teenager.”
Prince William and Kate continue to be modest when raising their children. The two are reportedly trying their best to protect their children’s privacy. Recently, the alleged hacking of Pippa Middleton’s iCloud account posed threats to the family.
Reports emerged that more than 3,000 photos were hacked from Pippa’s account. Stolen photographs of the royal couple and their children are allegedly being offered to various publications at staggering costs. Snapshots of Pippa’s wedding preparations were included in the hacked photos as well.
The Sun claimed that someone contacted them through WhatsApp and tried to ask $65,000 for the photos. The British authorities have arrested a man in Northamptonshire in connection to the hacking. A man was taken into custody, but was later released on bail. Investigation on the hacking incident continues.
[Featured Image by Lefteris Pitarakis/WPA Pool/Getty Images]
