Prince William's hobby that 'filled wife Kate Middleton with horror'
Prince William was an avid motorcycle rider before becoming a dad
Prince William once had a need for speed, but his daredevil hobby left Kate Middleton feeling anything but relaxed.
In his younger years, the future king was an avid motorcycle rider, a hobby he began at 19 after passing his motorbike test in 2002.
Over the years, he was frequently spotted riding high-speed bikes like the Ducati 1198, which can reach a staggering 180mph. He even embarked on a 1,000-mile motorbike trek across South Africa with Prince Harry in 2008 to raise money for charity.
Prince William’s hobby that ‘horrified’ Kate Middleton
But while the thrill of the ride appealed to William, it sparked concern for Kate.
During a 2015 visit to Dundee, the Princess of Wales admitted: “It always fills me with horror when he goes out on it. I’m terrified.”
As reported by HELLO!, she added: “Hopefully, I’m going to keep George off it.”
Still, William kept riding for a few years after becoming a dad. However, he eventually dialled things down.
It always fills me with horror when he goes out on it. I’m terrified.
By 2018, during a visit to the Isle of Man, he confessed: “I’m a dad of three. I have to tone it down. I miss the big trips. For me, biking was always about being with everybody else.”
Although he’s largely stepped away from motorbikes, the prince hasn’t lost his love for two wheels.
During a 2024 visit to Ulster University’s Virtual Production Studio in Belfast, he eagerly hopped on a stationary motorbike simulator.
“Any excuse to get on a motorbike!” he joked, grinning as he pretended to race through the Arizona desert.
In more recent years, William found a new mode of transport: an electric scooter.
He was often seen cruising around Windsor Castle on one and even made a cameo with it in Eugene Levy’s Apple TV+ series The Reluctant Traveler.
“It gets around quite nicely, I’m always late, so I thought this was the way to keep my meetings on time,” William told Eugene.
However, his recent house move means the prince will have to park the scooter for good.
Back in October, the Wales family relocated to Forest Lodge, an eight-bedroom property located in Windsor Great Park. Unfortunately, Windsor Great Park prohibits motorised vehicles like e-scooters, hoverboards, and one-wheels.
Kate Middleton’s ‘crazy’ hobby
As much as Kate worried over William’s motorcycle antics, the Princess of Wales has a hobby of her own that raised eyebrows: cold water swimming.
Known for her dedication to icy dips, Kate has long championed the benefits of plunging into freezing water, even in the dark or rain.
“The colder, the better,” she gushed during a 2023 appearance on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast. “I absolutely love it. Slightly to the point where William’s like, ‘Catherine, you’re crazy.'”
But it seems the Prince has had a change of heart. During a recent visit to Colwyn Bay in North Wales, William told members of the Bluetits cold water swimming group that he’d finally taken the plunge.
“You feel great afterwards,” he admitted, as reported by the Daily Mail. “I do a lot of yelling and screaming when I get in!”
Read more: Prince William’s ‘plans’ as king as future of beloved Trooping the Colour ceremony ‘revealed’
What do you think? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page.
