From Prince Harry’s polo playing, to Zara Tindall’s Olympic medals and Lady Louise’s carriage driving, the royals are an accomplished bunch when it comes to sport.
Princess Anne, now 75, was rather sporty in her day, too, competing in an equestrian category in the 1976 Olympics. Despite her former prowess, the Princess Royal showed a rare moment of self-doubt during an interview with Prince William, Princess Kate and Mike Tindall, on the rugby player’s podcast, The Good, The Bad and the Rugby.
© Getty Images for Kensington PalaPrince William told his aunt she’d be a pro at padel during an episode of The Good, The Bad and The Rugby Podcast Recorded at Windsor Castle
The Princess Royal, who is continuously named the hardest working royal due to her relentless schedule, appeared to doubt her abilities in the sporting department during a chat about the racquet sport Padel back in 2023.
Princess Kate kicked off the chat, revealing that she and Prince William had recently taken up the sport. “It’s great fun,” the Prince of Wales said, with Princess Anne chipping in: “Do you think even I could do that?”
Surprised at the question, Prince William replied: “Definitely! I think you’d be really good at it.” Watch the charming aunt and nephew moment below…
What is padel?
Padel is a racquet sport played as doubles on an enclosed court about a third the size of a tennis court. As evidenced by the Prince and Princess of Wales’ enthusiasm for the hobby, the future king and queen are big fans, with padel the fastest-growing sport in the world, according to Prince William.
© Adrian GautPadel courts are smaller than tennis courts
Wimbledon champ Annabel Croft explained the sport to us, sharing: “When I first picked up the padel racket, I absolutely loved it instantly. It is so much fun and you laugh a lot, and anyone can play.”
On the differences between padel and tennis, Annbel added: “Padel is slightly easier for people who haven’t played tennis to just have a go. I do find myself laughing a lot, it’s really fun.”
Annabel Croft playing padel
While Prince William seemed certain that his aunt would love the sport, she is famed for not being a huge fan of tennis. The royal’s biographer, Brian Hoey, wrote in 2020: “The Princess Royal is also not much of a [tennis] enthusiast, saying that Wimbledon is too ‘cauldron-like’.”
This follows in the footsteps of her mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, who was also uninterested in tennis, attending Wimbledon just four times during her 75-year time on the throne.
Just as Princess Anne prefers equestrian sports and rugby, the late Queen has her own preferred pastimes, including horse racing and carriage riding, which her husband, Prince Philip, was proficient in.