Prince William is proud to see his son Prince George taking on a new and exciting hobby.
“George loves scuba diving,” the Prince of Wales, 42, said during a visit to the Birtley Community Pool in Tyne and Wear, England, on Thursday, October 3, according to Hello! magazine. “He’s 11 years old. We took him under thinking he would freak out. He absolutely loves it.”
During the Thursday appearance, William met with Olympic swimmers Adam Peaty and Tom Dean plus Paralympians Maisie Summers-Newton and Louise Fiddes. William added that George’s new hobby is an introduction “to the world of water.”
George’s affinity for the water has seemingly been passed down by his parents. George is the eldest son of William and wife Princess Kate Middleton. The couple also share daughter Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6.
William previously swam and played water polo while he attended Eton College and the University of St. Andrews. Kate, meanwhile, has shared that cold water swimming is one of her go-to fitness hobbies.
“The colder, the better. I absolutely love it,” the Princess of Wales, also 42, said on a September episode of “The Good, The Bad & The Rugby” podcast, which is hosted by fellow royal family member Mike Tindall. “Slightly to the point where William’s like, ‘Catherine, you’re crazy.’ And it’s dark, and it’s raining.”
While William and Kate enjoy different elements of the water, they both aren’t afraid to take on new activities. In March 2022, the pair took a scuba diving excursion during their royal tour of the Caribbean.
“On Sunday, we were lucky enough to spend time diving at South Water Caye, directly above the spectacular Belize Barrier Reef,” William and Kate captioned an Instagram Reel of their underwater adventure. “It was a privilege to see for ourselves the world-leading ocean conservation work being done here.”
Scuba diving isn’t the only daring new hobby that George has picked up. Last month, the U.K.’s The Sun reported that George completed his first flying lesson at the Berkshire airfield in England before he headed back to school. According to the outlet, his parents were there as he continued the royal family’s tradition of flying.
Much like his love for the ocean, William also has a passion for flying. He joined the Royal Air Force as a flight lieutenant in 2009. He eventually became a helicopter pilot with the Search and Rescue Force, a role he held until 2013.
As George tries out new activities in his youth, both William and Kate want to prepare their eldest son for the day he assumes the throne. According to royal expert Robert Jobson, the twosome are “gradually” introducing things into George’s life so they don’t “freak him out.”
