He’s often been thought of as the more serious of the princely brothers – a slightly awkward combination of formality and duty.

And that’s certainly how William is portrayed in the latest, and final, series of The Crown.

But if there had ever been some small element of truth in the caricature, the same hardly applies today, when it is younger brother Harry who is more likely to wear a frown.

At 41, the King-in-waiting, William has grown into his role as the genial face of Monarchy, willing not only to embrace the members of the public he meets on his engagements, but to join them in uproarious laughter – as viewers of the Royal Variety Performance got to see this week…

Compere of the Royal Variety Performance, Bradley Walsh, bemoans his lack of gongs – and promptly has the Waleses in helpless laughter

Viewers of the show broadcast at the weekend on ITV praised William for being a  ‘good sport’. It looks as though Kate was happy to join in the fun, also

Prince William reacts as he plays a guessing game with 22-year-old Sherihan Sharis, during his visit to a Centrepoint hostel in London on January 10, 2017. Some say you can see a likeness to his mother when he laughs

William laughing With PJ And Abdul the Centrepoint homelessness charity in Northolt  in 2017

Prince William laughs with the crowds at the headquarters of JCB in Rocester, Staffordshire, to mark the production of the company’s 750,000th machine

Prince William appears to be in hysterics watching Peter Crouch Peter performing his now famous goal celebration – the ‘robot’ – with rest of the England World Cup squad laughing too, during training at Manchester United’s Carrington training ground in 2006

Prince William leads the laughter with his father and uncle at the ‘party at the palace’ for the late Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002

Prince William shares a joke with one of his fellow venturers during his Raleigh International Expedition in Southern Chile in 2000

Prince William fooling around with his cousins at a charity polo match in 2003

Prince William is bent with laughter at the Beaufort Polo Club in 2000

PS remind you of anyone..?

You can see Prince William’s true likeness to his mother when he is laughing….