The Dangerous Hobby Kate Middleton Hopes George Doesn't Pick Up From Prince William

William and Catherine, Prince and Princess of Wales are a competitive, sporty couple, and they've passed on their love of athletic activities to their three children. When he was two, Prince George started skiing,  and he was participating in triathlons at age ten. In addition, George has played soccer since about age seven — a sport that is said to be William's favorite. 

While Kate has been spotted supporting George from the sidelines while he plays soccer, she's less excited about some of her oldest son's hobbies. Back in 2022, when George expressed a desire to learn martial arts, Kate was initially reluctant to give in as she was concerned about the potential aggressiveness of the sport. William, on the other hand, was in favor of the idea, believing it would help his son feel independent.

This isn't the first time the royal couple have differed in their opinions of certain pastimes. Besides sports, one of William's hidden hobbies is his lifelong enthusiasm for motorcycles. He was 19 when he got his license, and when he was 21, William noted that motorcycle riding gave him a break from the spotlight of royal life. "It does help being anonymous with my motorcycle helmet on because it does enable me to relax," William commented, per CNN. However, Kate is not a fan of William's motorcycling, and she plans to dissuade George from riding one of these zippy vehicles.

In 2015, Catherine, Princess of Wales candidly expressed her feelings about William, Prince of Wales' motorcycle riding. "It always fills me with horror when he goes out on it," Kate confessed at a royal event in Scotland, per Vanity Fair. "I'm terrified. Hopefully, I'm going to keep George off it."

Luckily for Kate, three years later, William was reportedly scaling back and not riding as frequently as he did in the past. "I'm a father of three, I have to tone it down," William explained at a 2018 motorcycle race on the Isle of Man, according to Hello! Even though he's motivated by his commitment to his kids, William is sorry to have fewer opportunities to experience the fellowship of spending time riding with other motorcycle aficionados.

In 2008, when William and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, had a closer relationship, the brothers embarked on a 1,000-mile motorcycle ride in Africa. The event was a fundraiser for organizations like Unicef and Sentebale, a charity that Harry co-founded due to his deep connection to Africa. By that time in their lives, William and Harry were often engaged in separate pursuits, so they welcomed the opportunity for the bonding experience of the ride. Due to the rough, off-road terrain, the experience was also more dangerous due to the increased likelihood of riders falling off their motorcycles. 

Like Kate Middleton, King Charles is not a fan of motorcycles. For one thing, the king never got the hang of how to balance on one. In addition, he was apprehensive about William and Harry's safety when they were out riding. "I always worry about them. It's about other cars not being able to see you," Charles said at a royal event in 2010, per Daily Mail.

According to royal photographer James Whitaker, Queen Elizabeth was said to have had concerns about her grandson's motorcycle riding, too. The monarch had a keen eye for William's safety in general, as Elizabeth was reportedly "terrified" about William piloting his family on the royal helicopter. While the queen had confidence in William's flying skills, like Charles' observations about the unpredictable behavior of other drivers, Elizabeth was troubled by the threat of circumstances outside of his control. 

Fortunately, in 2023, William apparently branched out from motorcycles and found a safer, more environmentally friendly conveyance. William reportedly bought an e-scooter to speedily traverse the two to three mile commute between Adelaide Cottage and Windsor Castle. In addition, since e-scooters are typically forbidden on public roads, this vehicle doesn't have the same safety concerns that Charles had about William riding his motorcycle.