When the Prince of Wales and King Frederick X of Denmark chatted during the European Championship on Thursday, the pair looked like two old friends reunited.
The royals sat side by side at today’s match in Frankfurt, engaging in cheerful conversation as they watched their countries battle it out in the group stage matches of the European Championship.
And it’s a distinct change from a resurfaced clip of the couple from 1999 at the christening of Greece’s Constantine Alexios.
William, 41, and Frederick, 56, opted for smart suits when they attended the match, with the Danish king opting for a slightly more casual look, sans tie and wearing an open-necked shirt.
Frederik is a three-time great-grandson of Queen Victoria, while William is her four-time great-grandson, meaning the royals are fourth cousins once removed.
When the Prince of Wales (left) and King Frederick of Denmark (right) chatted at the Euros today, the pair looked like two old friends reunited.
The couple is photographed in 1999, aged 17 and 31, at the baptism of Constantine Alexios of Greece.
In a clip from 25 years ago, 17-year-old William is shown in his heartthrob days, with a full head of hair and a strong jaw. The video shows William holding the child as he became his godfather.
Frederik, who was 31 years old at the time, sports a very nineties haircut at the baptism of his first cousin, once removed.
Constantine Alexios, now 25, who recently split from socialite Poppy Delevingne, 38, is the son of Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece and grandson of Queen Anne Mary of Greece, who is Frederick’s maternal aunt.
Today, however, it appears that the couple have swapped haircuts: the Danish king sports a full head of hair, while William suffers from a receding hairline.
William and Frederick are often linked by having parallel lives, both being born as heirs with a younger brother at their side.
The Dane’s brother, Prince Joachim of Denmark, is often compared to Prince Harry, who was also the “alternate” to the throne.
Frederik is a three-time great-grandson of Queen Victoria, while William is her four-time great-grandson, meaning the royals are fourth cousins once removed.
In a clip from 25 years ago, 17-year-old William is shown in his heartthrob days, with a full head of hair and a strong jaw. The video shows William holding the child as he became his godfather.
The two looked like much younger, but equally stylish, versions of themselves when they attended the christening in London in 1999.
Both young men have changed a lot since the day they became godparents to Greek royalty 25 years ago. William appeared to be wearing his arm in a sling after surgery to repair his broken finger in a rugby match.
Despite the sling, William smiled during the christening as he held his new godson.
The prince, who was the most handsome bachelor at the time, looked handsome in an oversized suit, bright apple cheeks, and his golden hair combed casually from his forehead.
Meanwhile, Frederick looked handsome with short black hair and a short beard. He was wearing a similar style suit with a light blue tie and a burnt orange tie.
Now, William, who is still familiar with a good suit and a clean-shaven face, is a little poorer in hair, but much richer in wisdom and charm.
The couple appears in the photo, in Y2K style, in 1999.
William and Frederik are great-grandsons of Queen Victoria.
The ruddy rugby player is no longer with his arm in a sling, but is the new heir, after the death of the Queen who made Charles King in 2022 and, later, Prince of Wales.
William married Kate Middleton in 2011 and the couple now share three children, George, 10, Charlotte, 9, and Louis, 6.
Today, Frederick still wears a rough, rough-looking beard with short hair, although the black has turned gray and the King seems much more open with his fashion these days.
The former Prince of Denmark, now King since January 2024, is married to Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, an Australian marketing consultant whom the prince had met while attending the Olympic Games just a year after Constantine Alexios’s baptism.
William and Frederick shook hands with beaming faces at the Euros on Thursday. The two have changed a lot since they became godparents to Greek royalty 25 years ago.
William appeared to joke around with the Danish royal and was photographed smiling during the conversation. William and Frederick are often considered to have parallel lives, both being born as heirs and having a younger brother at their side.
The two shook hands affectionately during the game. In addition to Frederick and William, other European royals make up Constantine’s impressive cast of godparents, including Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and King Philip VI, King of Spain.
Prince Constantine Alexios is the second son of Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece and their firstborn, making him the heir of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Greece.
In addition to Frederick and William, other European royals make up Constantine’s impressive cast of godparents, including Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and King Philip VI, King of Spain.
The Greek royal family was officially abolished in the 1970s and the family now divides their time living between the US and the UK, among other European countries.
Prince Constantine spent the early part of his life growing up in London, attending school and university there before heading to Washington, United States, to earn his degree.
In Thursday night’s match, England and Denmark drew 1-1, although England scored a goal in the first 18 minutes of the match, they failed to finish on top.
The Euro match was England’s second so far in the tournament after beating Serbia 1-0 on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Serbia again drew 1-1 in their Euro Cup opener against Slovenia on Sunday.
Prince William has had a good week of sport after attending Royal Ascot yesterday, where he attended the annual races with his cousins Zara and her husband, Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and Princess Eugenie and her partner Jack Brooksbank.