Royal Life

Kate Middleton’s favorite hobbies: from cold-water swimming to scuba diving

The Princess of Wales says her children “love dancing,” but the royal mom has plenty of active hobbies of her own

Princess of Wales on court to present the trophy to the winner of the men's final on day fourteen of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships

MARCH 9, 2026 4:59 AM EDTMAR 9, 2026, 4:59 AM EDT

Kate Middleton recently revealed that her children "love their dancing," highlighting the playful and active atmosphere she encourages at home.

But beyond family dance sessions with husband Prince William and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, the Princess of Wales has long enjoyed a wide range of hobbies, from diving to cold-water swimming.

Scuba Diving

Back in 2015, Kensington Palace confirmed that Kate had earned her Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Advanced Open Water Diver qualification, allowing her to dive to depths of up to 98 feet (30 metres).

A spokesperson told The Telegraph, "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."

Swimming

Kate Middleton speaks with Great Britain Swimmer Rebecca Adlington at the Athletes Village at the Olympic Park in Stratford on Day 4 of the London 2012 Olympic Games on July 31, 2012

The Princess of Wales has spoken openly about her love of cold-water swimming - even when conditions are far from pleasant.

During a November 2024 appearance on the podcast The Good, The Bad and The Rugby, she said, "Cold swimming – the colder, the better. I absolutely love it."

She added, "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!"

Workouts and fitness

Duchess of Cambridge takes parts in a running race against Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry as they join a Team Heads Together London Marathon Training Day at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Kate has revealed she fits exercise into her schedule whenever possible, often involving her children in the process.At a 2023 reception for England’s wheelchair rugby league team at Hampton Court Palace, she said, "I do it all, whenever I can squeeze in exercise, I do, even jumping on the trampoline with the children before school."

Photography

Kate Middleton steps behind camera to photograph Holocaust survivors

The Princess is also an avid photographer and frequently captures the official birthday portraits of her children. Appearing on the UK TV show This Morning in March 2024, she explained, "I’m very much an amateur photographer."

She continued, "One of the fantastic things about photography is really capturing that moment… It’s really capturing those moments that feel real to you, and that capture moments for an expression or a feeling, I suppose.

"And that’s the power of photography. It can capture a moment and tell a story."

Playing the piano

Duchess of Cambridge on the piano during a performance of his song "For Those Who Can't Be Here" during "Royal Carols: Together At Christmas," a TV special broadcast on Christmas Eve

In December 2021, Kate surprised audiences by playing piano alongside 34-year-old singer-songwriter Tom Walker during the Royal Carols: Together at Christmas concert at Westminster Abbey.

Tom is quoted by BBC News as saying: "We got together, we rehearsed the song like nine times, and by the end of it she'd absolutely nailed it."He added, "She was absolutely fabulous – she smashed it."