Prince William has a close-knit circle of friends to help him through the fall-out with his brother, Prince Harry.

Prince William may have found it tough to handle the rift with Prince Harry, but he has since proven his loyalty to another close confidant, William van Cutsem.

At the end of July the Prince of Wales made Mr van Cutsem, the son of the late Hugh van Cutsem who was a close friend to King Charles, an adviser for the Duchy Estate.

Mr van Cutsem, known as VC to his friends, has been pals with William since they were children and is an appropriate choice as he works as a chartered surveyor.

In the Duchy’s annual report, Mr van Cutsem is said to have a “keen interest in regenerative farming practices within the family’s home and farming businesses”.

It isn’t just work keeping them close though, as Mr van Cutsem lives just 20 miles away from the Waleses Norfolk home, Anmer Hall, and is also Prince George’s godfather.

Prince William is great pals with William van Cutsem (Image: Getty)

William was also an usher at Mr van Cutsem’s wedding to Rosie Ruck Keene in 2013, while their niece Grace became unexpectedly famous as the little bridesmaid with her hands over her ears at William and Princess Kate’s own nuptials in 2011.

Harry was also at one point very friendly with the van Cutsems, as another niece, Florence, was a bridesmaid when he married Meghan Markle in 2018.

The Duke of Sussex has also stayed on good terms with another of William’s friends, James Meade, who joined him to dance the night away at Camden’s KOKO nightclub last summer.

These are some of the friends William has had to support him since his rift with Harry began, with many of these friendships dating back decades.

Mr Meade joined Thomas van Straubenzee in a joint best man’s speech for William and Kate’s wedding, another long-term friend who went to Ludgrove School with William and Harry before they went up to Eton.

William and James Meade have been friends since Eton (Image: Getty)

Mr van Straubenzee has been married twice, first to Lady Melissa Percy from 2013 to 2016, and now to Princess Charlotte’s old teacher from St Thomas’s Battersea, Lucy Lanigan O-Keeffe, with whom he has two children.

He is also Charlotte’s godfather, having holidayed with William as a child in Cornwall with the Prince and Princess of Wales introducing him to his second wife years later.

Oliver Baker and his wife Mel Nicholson are another couple in the royal circle, as they started dating while they were students at the University of St Andrews just like William and Kate.

He prefers to keep his friendship with the royals private, earning him the nickname Zipper Lips Baker, but he is also one of George’s godparents.

Thomas van Straubenzee is another close pal (Image: Getty)

Guy Pelly has also been close to William and Harry over the years, with his antics earning him the title of Court Jester among his inner circle.

He organised William’s stag night and became known for shimmying 40 feet up a marquee during a Prince’s Trust concert while stripped to his boxer shorts.

Mr Pelly is also godfather to Prince Louis, however it was William’s decision to skip the late Queen Elizabeth’s Christmas lunch in 2015 to support his friend at his father’s memorial that showed how strong their friendship was.

Rounding off the pack is Harry Aubrey-Fletcher, the youngest son of Sir Henry, 8th Baronet and Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, and Mike Tindall, who is married to William’s cousin Zara and has built a close bond with the Prince in Harry’s absence.