On the eve of his April 29, 2011 wedding, Prince William didn't get much shuteye.
"[The crowds] were singing and cheering all night long, so the excitement of that, the nervousness of me and everyone singing — I slept for about half an hour," the 29-year-old royal tells TV host Alan Titchmarsh in Elizabeth: Queen, Wife, Mother, airing in the U.K. June 1.
Sleepiness was the least of his worries, however. "The hardest thing was trying to walk down the stairs with my spurs on, sideways. I had visions of myself and my brother [Prince Harry] colliding and crashing down the stairs."
In the months leading up to his big day, "there was very much a subdued moment when I was handed a list with 777 names on it — not one person I knew or Catherine knew," William recalls. "I went to [Queen Elizabeth] and said, 'Listen, I've got this list, not one person I know — what do I do?' And she went, 'Get rid of it. Start from your friends and then we'll add those we need to in due course. It's your day.'"
VIDEO: Relive all the highlights from the royal wedding
In addition to talking about his stylish wife, 30, William also opens up about the tight bond he has with his grandmother, 86. "We're definitely a lot closer than we used to be. I think being a small boy it's very daunting seeing the Queen around and not really quite knowing what to talk about or what to ask her."
He adds: "I think over the years that's got a lot better. I've grown up — hopefully — a little bit and tried to understand a bit more about her role and my own role."
Knowing he's destined to become the King of England one day, William admits: "There's not much wriggle room left for me to try and find my own path, but I will do. It's just a matter of learning what's gone before me."
"Everyone's fascinated by the Queen's life and how she's done it. And I would just hope that a bit of what she's done and a bit of what she's achieved, and a bit of how she's conducted herself, we all take away in our own lives and try and do it ourselves," William says. "I would like to take all of her experiences, all of her knowledge and put it in a small box and to be able to constantly refer to it."
