Princess Charlotte’s Athletic Talent Revealed, But She’s Taking on a Different Sport Than Her Mom Kate Middleton

Meredith KileMon, August 17, 2026 at 7:23 PM UTC

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Princess Charlotte and Kate Middleton watch the Gentlemen’s Singles Final during the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 12, 2026Credit: Tim Clayton/Getty -

Princess Charlotte is taking after her athletic parents while still forging her own path

A new report reveals that the 11-year-old princess has joined a travel netball team that “competes at a high level all over the country”

Charlotte has previously been said to have an affinity for gymnastics, dance, rugby, running and more

Princess Charlotte is taking the royal family’s athletic abilities to a new sport.

A new report from the Daily Mail reveals that the 11-year-old daughter of Kate Middleton and Prince William has joined a travel netball team that “competes at a high level all over the country.”

“All of the parents of the girls on the opposing teams are wondering whether or not they’re going to run into William and Kate,” a source told the outlet. “It’s all very hands-on, and it would be funny to see them in such a down-to-earth environment, doing the early starts and long drives that everyone else has to do.”

Netball is one of the only sports exclusively created for girls and women, and it is particularly popular in the U.K. and Commonwealth of Nations. It is similar to basketball but played seven-on-seven with each member of the team assigned to a specific spot on the court. The basket has no backboard, and players are only allowed to hold the ball for three seconds at a time without moving.

Grace Nweke of Team New Zealand attempts to catch the ball during the Gold Medal Match between Team Jamaica and Team New Zealand at the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Aug. 2, 2026Credit: Mattia Ozbot/Getty

During their family trip to the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Charlotte, Princess Kate, 44, Prince William, 44, Prince George, 13, and Prince Louis, 8, watched the netball semi-final match between Team Australia and Team Jamaica, as well as England’s match against New Zealand.

New Zealand and Jamaica went on to face each other in the final, where the Kiwis came out victorious, with a score of 56–48.

(L to R) Kate Middleton, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince George and Prince William watched the netball semi-final match between Team Australia and Team Jamaica at the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Aug. 1, 2026Credit: Euan Cherry/Getty

Kate previously revealed that her daughter played “loads of netball” during a visit to Wakefield Trinity Rugby Club in January.

Princess Charlotte may be excelling at a different sport, but she is taking after her parents in athletic ability. Princess Kate excelled at field hockey, captaining her team at Marlborough College. The royal mom also plays tennis and even recently shared that she’d taken up padel, a fast-growing racquet sport in the U.K. that is described as a mix of tennis and squash. Meanwhile, Prince William was a multi-sport athlete at Eton College, competing in swimming, water polo and soccer.

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The Prince and Princess of Wales have also spoken about their daughter playing rugby, running track, dancing ballet and tap, playing soccer and especially enjoying gymnastics. During their time at the Commonwealth Games, the family met with gymnasts Abigail and Emily Roper at the Wales House, where William boasted that Charlotte “loves gymnastics and ballet,” while Princess Kate pointed out that her youngest was also working on his own acrobatic skills.

“Louis, you’re perfecting your handstand at the moment,” she shared.

“A bit,” he agreed. “But Charlotte says I’m not very good.”

Prince Louis, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince William meet athletes from Team Wales at the Wales House during the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Aug. 1, 2026Credit: Euan Cherry/Getty

Princess Charlotte, who received a signed Team Wales leotard from the gymnasts, confirmed that she could do a handstand, while their older brother, Prince George, admitted, “I’m rubbish at anything that involves flexibility.”

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Prince William has also proven himself to be a proud sporting dad during investiture ceremonies, even relaying Charlotte’s athletic achievements to Olympians receiving honors.

In May 2025, he honored British middle-distance runner Keely Hodgkinson, who won a gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games. Hodgkinson later told The Telegraph, “The prince told me his daughter is doing the 400 metres at the minute and the hurdles and that she did watch me in Paris.”

“He told me that he remembers me winning and that he wished he could be there to see it himself,” she added.

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Source: “AOL Sports”