For Prince William there has been at least one familiar face on his Canadian tour, his former rugby coach.
Dubbed "rugby royalty" Gareth Rees was the prince’s ninth year (Canadian grade 8) rugby coach at Eton College, the English school famous for producing 19 prime ministers.
According to the B.C. sports hero, young William was a shy boy who not only had to contend with the normal ordeals of adolescence, but did so under constant security and the media attention.
"He was interested in what other 14-year-old boys were interested in, and I think he probably liked that opportunity to just be one of the guys," Rees told CTV Victoria.
Rees has played for Canada in the Rugby World Cup four times, and has had a storied career including being an inductee into the International Rugby Board’s Hall of Fame and have the prestige of being the first rugby player inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. He also played for the London Wasps, the Harlequins, as well as teams in Bedford, England, Newport, Wales, and Merignac, France.
His expertise landed him a job at the prestigious Eton College, where he was blown away to learn he would be coaching royalty.
"There were a few ‘pinch me’ moments," Rees said, recalling the watchful gaze of the paparazzi who followed the young prince.
"Normally his match would be on a back field with a couple of parents and a dog. But the first couple of weeks there were several hundred people dressed as parents. Several long lenses came out."
After Lady Diana died in 1997, Rees remembers the heartache felt at the school. According to the coach, returning to his classmates helped the young prince.
"That was his environment. That was his support."
After their reunion on Sunday, Rees said the future king remains the humble boy he once knew so well, even though he went from having the young prince calling him "sir" to now calling his former pupil "your highness."
