Charles Was Forced to Give Up a Beloved Royal Hobby — But William Has Kept the Tradition Alive
Much like his father, William has ensured that he passes down his love for the hobby to his three children.
King Charles has long pursued a wide range of talents and hobbies, one of which is his long-standing passion for skiing — a pastime cherished by the royal family for generations. During his ill-fated marriage to the late Princess Diana, the couple often spent their Christmas holidays on the slopes with their sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. Now, however, it seems he has left the hobby behind, largely due to his ongoing cancer battle, which requires caution and adequate rest.
For his part, Charles confirmed he had given up skiing during a royal factory visit in Middlesbrough in February this year. He told a group of employees that he believes his 'skiing days are behind' him. His annual ski trips were first cancelled in 2023 over fears that a potential injury could jeopardize his May 2023 coronation. Then, a little more than a year into his reign, the monarch announced his cancer diagnosis in February 2024, making it plain that he could no longer continue the tradition. Although Charles has stepped back from the slopes, he has passed the love of skiing on to his sons, who are now keeping the tradition alive with their children.
Perhaps one of Charles, William, and Harry's most memorable skiing trips was in Klosters in 2005. The trip gained more notoriety when a routine photocall with the father and sons unexpectedly dominated headlines due to a rogue microphone. Another memorable ski outing took place in 1998, a year after the boys lost their mother, when the then-Prince took William and Harry to Whistler in Canada. Before Diana's death, she liked bringing her sons to Lech in Austria. During one visit, she famously confronted photographers who were bombarding her for photos.
Much like his father, William has ensured that he passes down his love for skiing to his three children. The Prince and Princess of Wales enjoy taking Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis on regular ski holidays. Commenting on the same, royal reporter Richard Palmer gushed to The Mirror, "I'm sure William and Kate will be planning another winter ski break with the kids, because it's something they love doing together. The Prince and Princess are very competitive when it comes to sport, and George, Charlotte, and Louis will probably be very accomplished skiers too, as they've had the opportunity to go several times." Interestingly, William and Kate Middleton's relationship first became public when they were spotted skiing together in Klosters in 2004.
The King, for his part, first began skiing at age 14 during a 1963 trip to Tarasp, Switzerland. Over the decades, he made the Swiss resort Klosters his favorite winter escape, so much so that a cable-car there was named in his honor. Known for combining his love of the mountains with artistic pursuits, the monarch even painted Alpine landscapes on such trips.
