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Prince William Had a Sweet Advice for Princess Anne When She Doubted Her Sporting Skills

Princess Anne may be the hardest-working royal, and the only one to have competed in the Olympics, but even she isn't immune to some self-doubt. Thankfully, her nephew Prince William is always ready with words of encouragement. That support was evident during a September 2023 episode of Mike Tindall's podcast, The Good, The Bad & The Rugby, where the Prince of Wales reassured his aunt that she'd excel at padel, despite her clear reservations. The sweet moment highlighted their close bond and his role as her biggest cheerleader.

In a relaxed conversation on Tindall's podcast, William, Anne, and Kate Middleton talked about sports, family, and life beyond royal duties. The episode saw the Prince of Wales open up about the only time he's cried watching sport, describing how moved he was when Zara Tindall won an equestrian event. Initially, it was the Princess of Wales who had kicked off the chat, revealing that she and William had taken up playing padel, a racquet sport. To which Anne replied, "Do you think even I could do that?" In a sweet moment of reassurance, William chimed in, "Definitely! I think you'd be really good at it." 

After a clip of the heartwarming moment went viral on X, royal fans couldn't help but say the same thing. A netizen gushed, "This was a fantastic interview and a natural convening of family minds. It was stamped by the Princess Royals' comment and was good to see again as it was rich in its entirety." In a similar vein, another mused, "I need to watch this again,  it was so fun. Great combo." As the comments poured in, a fan beamed, "She'd be excellent."

Although William was confident that his aunt would excel at padel, Anne has long been known for her lack of enthusiasm for tennis. According to HELLO!, in 2020, her biographer Brian Hoey wrote, "The Princess Royal is also not much of a [tennis] enthusiast, saying that Wimbledon is too 'cauldron-like'." Her sentiments mirror those of her late mother, Queen Elizabeth, who was also uninterested in the sport and attended Wimbledon only four times during her 75-year reign. Much like her daughter's fondness for equestrian sport and rugby, the Queen preferred pastimes such as horse racing and carriage driving, which her husband, Prince Philip, also excelled in.

As for William and Anne's close bond, royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that the Princess Royal remains appreciative of her nephew's future as King. She explained, "There is a balance to bear in mind between Prince William's current greater focus on his family versus the more traditional ceremonial approach Princess Anne has upheld. He is well aware of this." Reportedly, Anne also wished William would shed his 'work-shy' image and learn to pick up some slack after he takes the throne. On the other hand, the Prince of Wales is said to strongly 'admire his aunt's devotion to duty.'