Prince William once shared a quietly touching moment with Princess Anne that royal fans are loving all over again.
In a resurfaced clip from a family podcast appearance, the Prince of Wales offered his aunt, often branded the hardest-working royal, a warm boost of confidence after she admitted to a rare moment of self-doubt, and it was caught on camera.
The exchange took place during a candid chat on The Good, The Bad and the Rugby podcast, hosted by Anne’s son-in-law Mike Tindall. What started as light-hearted sporting chat soon turned into a sweet glimpse of the close bond between aunt and nephew.
Prince William’s reassuring words to Princess Anne in podcast
The conversation moved on to padel, the fast-growing racquet sport that sits somewhere between tennis and squash. Princess Catherine revealed that she and William had become keen players, clearly enjoying their new hobby.
“It’s great fun,” William said, before Princess Anne chimed in with a moment of uncertainty: “Do you think even I could do that?”
William did not hesitate for a second. Smiling, he replied: “Definitely! I think you’d be really good at it.”
The clip has since resurfaced and was posted on social media this week, with the caption: “Prince William telling his aunt, Princess Anne, that she’d be very good at padel tennis.”
Royal watchers were quick to react, flooding the comments with admiration for the affectionate exchange.
“She’d be excellent,” one fan wrote, while others filled the replies with heart emojis.
Definitely! I think you’d be really good at it.
Padel, which is usually played in doubles on a smaller enclosed court, has reportedly become a firm favourite of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
According to The Sun, the couple play regularly and often head off for competitive matches with friends.
“They looked good at it and did not come across as beginners,” a witness told the outlet in 2023. “There was lots of banter and a lot of laughing, but both sides fought every point.”
Wimbledon champion Annabel Croft has also spoken highly of the sport. “When I first picked up the padel racket, I absolutely loved it instantly,” she told HELLO!. “It is so much fun, and anyone can play.”
She added: “Padel is slightly easier for people who haven’t played tennis to just have a go. I do find myself laughing a lot. It’s really fun.”
Royal family’s love for sports
Despite William’s confidence in her sporting abilities, Princess Anne has never hidden her lack of enthusiasm for tennis.
Royal biographer Brian Hoey once noted that the Princess Royal found Wimbledon too “cauldron-like”, a feeling that was shared by her late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who attended the tournament just four times during her 70-year reign.
Anne’s sporting heart has always belonged elsewhere. She famously competed in equestrian events at the 1976 Olympics and remains most at home in the saddle.
Meanwhile, Princess Kate continues to stand out as one of the most active members of the royal family. During the same podcast episode, she spoke openly about one of her more unusual pastimes: cold-water swimming.
“I really generally love all sports,” she said. “Personally, I love swimming. I absolutely love it. The colder the better. I absolutely love it. Slightly to the point where William says, ‘Catherine, you’re crazy.'”
Mike Tindall added that Kate often persuades others to join her, even braving icy water in the dark and rain.
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