The "Mental Challenge" Kate Middleton and Prince William Have Admitted to Dealing With at Home, After They're Branded "Competitive" by Royal Relative

The Prince and Princess of Wales's home life sounds far from tranquil.

Prince William and Kate Middleton look somber
(Image credit: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Kate Middleton and Prince William's relationship continues to go from strength to strength. For instance, during the couple's appearance at Trooping the Colour on June 14, body language experts highlighted William's "inner reaction" to seeing Princess Kate "back where she should be." However, not everything about the Prince and Princess of Wales's home life is idyllic, by their own admissions.

During a September 2023 appearance on Mike Tindall's podcast, The Good, The Bad, and The Rugby, Kate and William admitted to exhibiting a competitive nature with one another. "I'm not going to say you're uber competitive, [but] I've seen her play beer pong," Tindall joked about Princess Kate. She responding by saying, "I'm not competitive at all," via Hello! magazine.

As for how the couple's competitive nature affects their home life, Princess Kate said during the podcast appearance, "I don't think we've managed to finish a game of tennis, the two of us." She continued, "It becomes a mental challenge between the two of us." Prince William concurred, saying that they attempt to "out mental" one another due to their competitive nature.

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"It becomes a mental challenge between the two of us."

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Australian tennis legend Rod Laver previously confirmed Kate and William's competitive nature while speaking with The Sydney Morning Herald. "I'd met William and Kate a few times, and in the Royal Box you get a chance to chat with them a little bit," Laver revealed. "They play tennis against each other; William told me he couldn't beat her."

polo - kate and william

"They play tennis against each other; William told me he couldn't beat her."

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Elaborating on his meeting with the royals, Laver explained, "Prince William and Kate Middleton sat in front of us. It's a great feeling to be in their presence. Kate is a lovely, lovely lady and a wonderful person."

Basically, a little healthy competition appears to keep Kate and William's relationship alive and well.

Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.