PRINCESS Kate has picked up a rather unusual hobby – which Wills can’t get his head around.
It’s no secret that mum-of-three Kate, 42, enjoys keeping active and all sorts of sports, whether that’s hockey, netball, tennis or skiing.
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But there is one activity that the Princess ”absolutely loves” and William, also 42, thinks his wife is ”crazy”.
Kate opened up about her hobby, which she also does in the dark, during an appearance on the podcast, The Good, The Bad an d The Rugby, hosted by Mike Tindall, James Haskell and Alex Payne.
“I can always remember being physical, using our bodies, whether it’s walking, climbing the Lake District, in Scotland [or] swimming from a young age.
”[My parents] always encouraged us to be physically active and sporty and they always encouraged us into doing team sports and trying things.”
She then chatted about her love of swimming in cold water, which boasts numerous health benefits and involves swimming during the winter season in outdoor locations or unheated pools.
The 42-year-old raved: ”Cold swimming – the colder, the better. I absolutely love it.
”Slightly to the point where William’s [saying] ‘You’re crazy’ and it’s dark and it’s raining.
”I will go and seek out cold water. I love it!”
It’s clear that water activities have a special place in Kate’s heart, as back in 2015, it was disclosed that she is also an accomplished scuba diver.
Kensington Palace confirmed that the mum-of-three had passed a Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Advanced Open Water Diver qualification, which means she’s allowed to dive to a depth of up to 98 feet (30 metres).
Prince William has also had his scuba qualifications for some time – and is the president of the British Sub-Aqua Club.
A spokesperson for Kate told the Telegraph at the time: “Diving is something the Duchess very much enjoys, and the Duke of Cambridge, who is of course president of the BSAC, has said in the past that he is hopeful his children will become interested in the sport.”
Speaking about her appearance in the podcast, Mike Tindall, 46, noted: “I think the podcast humanised them a little bit, and I kind of wish they’d let us put the uncut version out, because it would have blown the public away.
Kate Middleton’s ‘golden rule’ with George, Charlotte and Louis
KATE’S key rule for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis is about kindness.
According to HELLO! Online’s Royal Correspondent: “Based on observations of photographs of Princess Diana at the time, and the current Princess of Wales, they are both very affectionate with their children.
“Kate is often seen holding her children’s hands or picking them up for cuddles when they were smaller.
“There are often lots of comforting gestures, such as a pat on the back or stroking their hair. When interacting with other children on her public engagements, Kate often crouches down to their level to engage with them – something that Diana would often do.”
When she’s at the family’s home of Adelaide Cottage in Windsor, despite her royal status, insiders say Kate is just like any other “normal mum”.
A friend explained that behind closed doors, the 42-year-old is “very chilled at home” but definitely not a pushover and will tell the kids off when needed.
They told PEOPLE: “It’s a normal, busy family home with kids running around and knocking things over. There’s no airs and graces.
“She is doing that to help her children be more grounded and keep their reality in check. That’s what really matters to her.”
“They came across as down-to-earth, fully engaged, funny and knowledgeable,” he wrote in the book, The Good, The Bad and The Rugby – Unleashed.
“It was a far more enlightening chat than I expected, not because I thought they’d be dull (I already knew that they weren’t) but because I know how everything to do with the Royal Family is so carefully controlled.”
The former rugby star who tied the knot with the late Queen’s granddaughter Zara Tindall in 2011 is not a working member of the family.
However, he certainly knows what they’re like in private — and revealed that the experience of being royal is nothing like Downton Abbey.
They “are a very close family who loved each other dearly,” Mike said, as he described relaxed picnic lunches and watching TV with the late Queen – and not “meals on long tables and everyone dressed in their finery every night”.
