Princess Kate Says Princess Charlotte Doesn't Play One Sport

Princess Charlotte wearing a white dress leaning forward and talking to Princess Kate in a blue dress at Wimbledon

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Whether it's running, sailing, playing tennis or picking up a game of hockey, Princess Kate is the sportiest future Queen Britain has ever seen. At 10 years old, Princess Charlotte seems to be taking in her mother's active footsteps. But during a visit to Wakefield Trinity Rugby League club on January 27, the Princess of Wales said that her daughter didn't take part in the sport.

"She does loads of sport but not rugby," Kate said during the event, per Hello! While Charlotte doesn't take part in rugby in an official capacity like her brothers Prince George and Prince Louis do, it seems she enjoys playing with her siblings at their Windsor home, Forest Lodge.

During a recent reception with the England women's rugby team, the Princess of Wales said, "Charlotte is playing rugby, but at home with the family, so she isn’t playing yet at school."

Princess Charlotte wearing a striped dress sitting next to Princess Kate in a white suit — Princess Kate and Princess Charlotte are pictured at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Nigel Gillingham, president of the Rugby Football Union, also commented on Charlotte's love of the game in 2023, per Town & Country. He revealed that the Princess of Wales "regularly plays rugby with her children in the back garden, and lots of other sport," adding, "Apparently, Charlotte is very much in her mould, very competitive as well apparently."

Although Kate didn't elaborate on the sports Charlotte does participate in during her visit to Wakefield Trinity, the Prince and Princess of Wales (and Charlotte herself) have mentioned several of her favorite activities in the past.

Princess Charlotte doing archery while Princess Kate watches behind her and smiles — Princess Charlotte tried archery with her mom in 2023.

In 2022, Charlotte attended the Commonwealth Games with her parents, and per the Daily Mail, she told Tim Lawler, CEO of charity Sports Aid, that it was "gymnastics" that stole her heart.

"She really, really loved seeing the swimming, but she's interested in the gymnastics, and while they're trying lots of different sports at home, I understand, when I asked her about sport she answered very easily and said, 'It's gymnastics that I like,'"Lawler said at the time.

The tween princess has also taken part in netball, soccer, tennis and track field. It turns out her forte is hurdles and the 400m run, as Prince William told Olympic track and field star Keely Hodgkinson in 2025.

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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.