Sat, May 9, 2026 at 4:21 PM UTC
Catherine, Princess of Wales and talks to guests during a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, in London, on May 8, 2026
Credit: Getty Images
The Gist
Kate Middleton has reportedly taken on a polarizing new hobby.
The Princess of Wales reportedly told guests at Buckingham Palace’s garden party on May 8 that she’s pursuing a tennis-adjacent sport with her parents.
Kate has said that playing tennis is a Wales family pasttime.
Kate Middleton’s love of tennis is no secret, with the royal regularly stepping out at Wimbledon events and sharing the pastime with her kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. However, Kate reportedly revealed she’s embracing a polarizing adjacent hobby during her latest appearance.
Kate Middleton reportedly told fans at Buckingham Palace that she’s taking on padel
Credit: Instagram/Rebecca English
The Princess of Wales was the epitome of elegant spring style at Buckingham Palace’s second garden party of the season on Friday—an outdoors event that Kate hosted with husband Prince William. According to The Daily Mail’s royal editor Rebecca English, Kate opened up about a trendy sport she’s recently taken on as a way of spending more quality time with her parents.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Prince William, Prince of Wales, during a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on May 8, 2026 in London, England.
Credit: Getty Images
In an Instagram Stories video shared by English on May 8, English wrote, “The Princess of Wales revealed she has taken up padel as she chatted with guests at Buckingham Palace today.” The popular racquet spot, which is played in doubles in a walled, enclosed court that’s about a third the size of a regular tennis court, has a lackluster reputation among tennis diehards. However, English revealed that Kate isn’t completely swapping her tennis routine for padel, instead adding it on as a fun family activity.
Princess Charlotte of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales attend day fourteen of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 13, 2025 in London, England.
Credit: Getty Images
“She told them it was a great game for non-tennis players (although that is her preferred sport) and she even plays with her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton,” English explained.
Wimbledon has become a sweet Middleton women family tradition, as Kate has been spotted attending the event with her mom, her sister Pippa, as well as her mini-me daughter Charlotte.
Read the original article on InStyle