Prince William Recalls Family Christmas Memories — and What Made Him 'Giggle' in Church as a Kid

"I have had the giggles many, many times in the service. Luckily, no one's filming it," the Duke of Cambridge says in a special episode of Apple Fitness+'s Time to Walk series

Prince William
Prince William outside St. Mary Magdalene Church. Photo: Apple +

Prince William is taking a walk down memory lane as he retraces the steps he has taken alongside his family almost every Christmas morning since he was a kid.

The royal, 39, has teamed up with Apple Fitness+ for their Time to Walk series, which features personal stories from influential people to inspire users to walk more. William's walk, which debuts Dec. 6, takes him through the Queen's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk — from Sandringham House, past St. Mary Magdalene Church and ending eventually in Anmer, where William and his wife Kate Middleton have a country home.

During his walk to the church, William says, "My family spend their Christmases in Norfolk at Sandringham, which is in the UK. Walking along here, you've got big pine trees that are quite synonymous with this part of Norfolk. And I love the smell of pine in the winter. It's very soothing.

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"As we're walking along here, it's been a walk that my family have done for many, many years on the way to church on Christmas Day. It must be at least 25 years by now."

He also recalls trying to keep up with his grandfather, Prince Philip, who died in April at the age of 99.

"I have strong memories of walking down here, and my grandfather, he used to walk so fast that there'd be huge gaps and spaces between all of us walking down, and there'd be us at the back with little legs trying to keep up. You know, I think, over time, you start to feel quite attached to those moments and those memories before."

British Royals
Princess Diana, Prince William and Prince Philip on their way to church in Sandringham. Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty

As he reaches St. Mary Magdalene Church, William reveals that the pews inside face each other, which provided endless entertainment for him and his cousins as children.

"And what's very good about it is that we sit opposite each other as a family, and growing up, having my cousins sat opposite me has always been quite difficult to keep a straight face at times. I have had the giggles many, many times in the service. Luckily, no one's filming it. So you can get away with it, and on Christmas Day, it's fun to have a giggle and enjoy yourself."

William and his brother Prince Harry grew up close to their cousins — Zara Tindall and her brother Peter Phillips, and Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice. Now his own children are known to get into a little mischief with their cousins!

British Royals
The royal family attends church on Christmas Day in 1990. Princess Diana Archive/Getty

The royal approached Apple to take part in Time to Walk as he was impressed with the series and how it coincided with his efforts to promote better mental health and wellbeing.

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During the episode, the royal talks about the importance of keeping mentally fit, reflects on a light-hearted moment when he was drawn out of his comfort zone, the value of listening as a way to empower others and an experience that led him to prioritize mental health. Prince William also chooses three of his favorite songs and explains why they are important to him.

Recognizing the significant impact that walking has on mental health and that the holidays can be challenging for many, William has chosen three charities to receive a five-figure donation from Apple: Shout in the UK, Crisis Text Line in the USA and Lifeline in Australia. Crisis Text Line and Shout provide free, 24/7 confidential support for people in crisis via text, and Lifeline provides free, 24-hour confidential crisis support and suicide prevention services.

Apple will stream three special audio airings of the Time to Walk episode for free on Apple Music 1, the flagship global radio station on Apple Music, on Dec. 6.

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