Besides golf, tennis, polo and more, the royal family are also huge proponents of yoga. Meghan Markle picked it up from her mother, Prince Charles has spoken out about the benefits of yoga for anxiety, and even the Queen has shown her support for the activity. So, in the spirit of coronavirus stress-relief, we offer some royal inspiration for your own practice.
The Duchess of Sussex swears by yoga after being raised by her mother Doria, who teaches it. In 2016, she said, "Yoga is my thing. I started doing mummy-and-me yoga with my mum when I was seven. I was very resistant as a kid, but she said, 'Flower, you will find your practice – just give it time.'" Meghan has been known to attend classes in both London and Los Angeles.
Prince William tried his hand at yoga in 2016 as he warmed up for a charity polo match with his brother Prince Harry. Though he wasn't quite dressed appropriately, he gave his best effort to cat-cow pose, stretching out the spine, as well as a combination of quad and hamstring stretches.
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The Duchess of Cambridge invited a yoga instructor from the island of Mustique to her 2011 wedding, and also prepared for the birth of Prince George in 2013 with pre-natal yoga sessions. She carried on her practice once George had arrived, and no doubt will have done so during Britain's Covid lockdown period.
The Prince of Wales is such a big believer in the benefits that he has previously campaigned for therapeutic yoga to be offered on the National Health Service. He explained, "Yoga not only benefits the individual, but also conserves precious and expensive health resources for others where and when they are most needed." In a written address to the Yoga in Healthcare conference, he added, "For thousands of years, millions of people have experienced yoga's ability to improve their lives. The development of therapeutic, evidence-based yoga is an excellent example of how yoga can contribute to health and healing."
Charles' wife, the Duchess of Cornwall spent a week at an Indian yoga retreat in 2012. An employee spoke of her visit and said, "She could do the difficult Asanas [poses] with ease. It seems she has done yoga before," and Camilla continues to practise years later. In an interview in 2017, she said, "I do a bit of yoga. It's very good for you as you get older, it makes you less stiff – good for your muscles. It makes you much more supple. I think it's very important as you get older to take exercise and stretch."
Princess Diana was a regular at LA Fitness in West London, and was believed to take part in weekly yoga sessions. She visited India in 1992, where she also took part in classes.
MORE: How Britain's Princess Became the World's Queen of Hearts
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