Prince Harry and Prince William had a childhood very different from most young boys in the UK due to being key members of the royal family.

However, the two princes weren’t simply allowed to relax when they went on holiday. Far from being waited on, the young boys were sent out litter-picking.

Prince Charles used to encourage his sons to do this while on holiday in Norfolk. The Prince of Wales is well known for his environmental efforts and inspires his sons to this day when it comes to picking up rubbish, the two men have said.

The Princes, who are both in line to the throne, revealed the odd holiday activity in a new BBC documentary.

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Harry and William were handed steel spikes and black plastic bags and encouraged to pick up other people’s litter.

What’s more, they were convinced that everyone else must do the same on holiday.

“He took us litter picking, when we were younger, on holiday,” Prince William said.

“We were in Norfolk on school holidays and went out litter picking with him … Both of us thought ‘This is perfectly normal, everyone must do it.’”

“We’re there with our, basically, spikes, stabbing the rubbish into black plastic bags.”

William was speaking in the BBC documentary Prince, Son and Heir: Charles At 70, which marks Charles’s forthcoming 70th birthday.

Prince Harry and Prince William: Prince Charles made his sons do this odd activity on holiday (Image: Getty Images)

Prince Harry and Prince William were made to go litter-picking when they holidayed in Norfolk (Image: Getty Images)

Harry added that the childhood experience of picking litter in Norfolk made him “programmed” to continue thanks to his father’s influence.

“I used to get taken the mickey out of at school for just picking up rubbish,” Harry said.

“When you go for walks anywhere, if you see something, it stands out, you pick it up.

“Before you know it, somebody [says], ‘What are you doing?’ I’ve literally done this because I am programmed to do it because my father did it. And actually, we should all be doing it.”

Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, 37, went on holiday with Prince Charles this summer.

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Prince Charles: A new BBC documentary marks Charles’s forthcoming 70th birthday (Image: Getty Images)

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The newlyweds joined the Prince of Wales, at the Castle of Mey, the late Queen mother’s remote home in Caithness, Scotland.

Charles described the week with Harry and Meghan as “joyous,” although William and Kate did not join the family.

He told friends he was “tickled pink” when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed they would join him in Scotland.

The royals reportedly went on coastal walks and went bird-spotting together.

A royal insider said: “I think it’s fair to say that Meghan has brought Harry and Charles closer, and Charles is thrilled to have a new daughter-in-law.”

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, was not present during his family bonding time as she was having a “bucket-and-spade” holiday with her own children and grandchildren.

The insider said: “Camilla wasn’t there, so I think that made it even more special for Charles.”