Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge might be best known to an American audience as Kate Middleton, the future queen consort, but in her younger days, she made herself a name on the hockey field. Since then, her relationship with sports has blossomed into something bigger.
In 2013, photos emerged showing Kate and her sister playing field hockey at Marlborough College in Wiltshire. With both sisters in their teens at the time, the pictures show a determination and poise reserved for athletes who are passionate about the games they play.
The sisters, who were a year apart in grades, played defense for the school’s squad. A classmate of the sisters spoke about how sister Pippa was especially dominant out on the field with The Daily Mail.
“Pippa was renowned at school for being a fine hockey player,” the source said. “The boys would flock to the AstroTurf on Saturday to admire her fine technique and posture… I particularly liked the firm strikes she made with her reverse stick, which always drew gasps from me, my mates, and a few of the watching fathers. She had real talent.”
The sisters had an evident love for the game. While Kate might no longer have time to play hockey as often as she likes, it does not mean that she’s retired from the sport for good.
In 2013, the Duchess of Cambridge took the field at Olympic Park clad in high heels and a long coat as she faced the locals and dribbled down the field with the poise of someone who had been playing for many years. Hockey is not her only connection to sports, however. She is also an avid fan of several others.
Hockey was not the sport that Kate took a liking to at a young age. In college, she played cross-country, swam, and brought to the tennis court on top of leading the hockey team. Kate also trained with the rowing team for months before steering a boat across the English Channel at an event that was heavily covered by the English paparazzi.
Ski trips, mountain climbing, and countless other sports seem to be staples of Middleton’s royal life as she travels around the world. However, when she isn’t performing athletic feats.
Kate continues to be a fan of tennis, as she and her royal husband are known to take the court and play against each other, although the outcomes might only be understood by those who are there to witness it. On top of this, Kate is also known to take in whatever event is nearby both at home and abroad.
As a fan, the Duchess of Cambridge has several interests in the sporting world. She is a mainstay at several of England’s high-end racing tracks and can often be seen cheering on the teams. Despite an allergy to horses, Kate also takes in polo matches from time to time. These events may seem like staples of a royal family, but to the average American, they might not resonate.
Kate likes mainstream sports, too. During her and Prince William’s visit to America, the pair took pictures with basketball superstar LeBron James and sat next to retired center Dikembe Mutombo.
The couple appeared to get into the game, while James caused quite the stir by touching the princess in a way that was not kosher to some who expected a royal treatment in America. The couple was OK with it, however.
The royal family is just like us in many ways. They might have money and power, but they also take time for the little things. Kate has maintained this since marrying into the family, and she might keep continuing to do so as they move into the future.