Robbie Williams feels sorry for Harry Styles

The former Take That singer says Harry Styles won't be able to enjoy being in a boyband as much as he did.

Robbie Williams feels sorry for Harry Styles.

The former Take That member is sad that the One Direction singer won't get to live out the perks of being famous as much as he did - in particular enjoying while nights out without being caught.

He told The Sun newspaper: "I feel a bit for Harry. At his age I was in this lilywhite boyband, Take That.

"But I was meeting up with mates, jumping out of the tour bus and into a Transit van at motorway service stations all around the country. No one had a camera phone."

Harry, 18, is extremely popular with the ladies, something Robbie can identify with.

He continued: "It's only natural a lad in a boyband will be compared to me at some point.

"Everybody is a ladies' man or a man's man, whatever your persuasion might be. He's just having a nice time."

But the star admitted he is slightly envious of Harry's youth and what he has to look forward to.

Robbie added: "I see Harry through bitter-getting-old-and-married-and-can't-do-all-of-that-any-more eyes.

"Also, I've got a lot of love for him and One Direction. On the pie chart, the love outweighs the bitterness -- but the bitterness is in there too."