British Columbia·FROM THE ARCHIVES

That time teenage heartthrob Prince William visited Vancouver

Prince Charles was meant to be the focus of a 1998 visit, but it quickly became clear that his son William was the real centre of attention.

The young Royal captured the hearts of Vancouver girls during his 1998 visit

From the archives: Prince William breaks hearts in Vancouver

8 years ago
Duration 3:01
A look back to 1998 when Prince Charles visited Vancouver with his two sons.

It was a welcome worthy of a rock star, complete with swooning girls. 

Prince William and his family are scheduled to arrive in B.C. next weekend, but during another royal visit nearly 20 years ago, William played a supporting role which captured the hearts of many girls in the Lower Mainland. 

Prince Charles was meant to be the focus of the events, but it quickly became clear that William was the real centre of attention, alongside his brother Harry.

Everywhere the 15-year-old William went, hundreds of screaming girls followed, hoping to catch a glimpse or even shake hands with him. The teenager had recently graced the cover of YM magazine under the banner "Prince of our Hearts." 

Hundreds of girls followed Prince William around during his 1998 visit to Vancouver with his father, Prince Charles, and his brother Harry. (CBC)

The visit took place in the March 1998, a few months after the death of William and Harry's mother, Princess Diana.  

During their stay, Prince Charles and his two sons went to an anti-racism concert at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, checked out computer technology at Burnaby South Secondary and visited what was then called the Pacific Space Centre. 

The trio later skied at Whistler-Blackcomb. It was seen as a huge marketing boost for the resort, which was still relatively unknown globally when compared to other celebrity-packed slopes in the French Alps. 

In the video shown above, a trio of love-struck girls run around town trying to get as close as possible to the young prince.