Princess Charlotte Channels Her Inner Kate Middleton & Embraces Her Sporty Side

Princess Charlotte is growing up fast and like many pre-teens, she's getting involved in extracurricular activities. The 11-year-old seems particularly interested in sports — her mother, Catherine, Princess of Wales, has proven herself to be one of the most athletic royals, so it's not a huge surprise Charlotte is following in her footsteps. Charlotte has reportedly joined a netball team that travels all over the country to play matches.

"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," an unnamed source told The Mail on Sunday. "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." William and Kate have worked to keep their kids as grounded as possible, so it seems likely that they'd show up to cheer for Charlotte's games like any other parents.

Netball is primarily a game for women and girls, and it's particularly popular in the U.K. It's a bit like basketball, in that you're trying to get the ball in a hoop, but there's no dribbling, just passing. Charlotte has been able to watch netball played by professionals. The entire Wales family watched the netball semi-finals at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in August 2026. Perhaps Charlotte picked up some pointers for her own team?

This wouldn't be the first time Princess Charlotte has shown a love for athletics. While at the Commonwealth Games, the family met with athletes representing Wales, and Prince William said Charlotte "loves gymnastics and ballet," according to The Sun. She's also into running, including the hurdles. All of it goes to show that while the princess may be third in line for the throne, Charlotte is a lot like other kids.

During a visit to a rugby club in West Yorkshire in January 2026, Catherine, Princess of Wales, was asked about the sports she played, and Kate said "loads of netball" (via People). She also confirmed that Charlotte "does loads of sports, but not much rugby yet." We'd like to think that Kate is giving Charlotte some tips on how to improve her netball skills. Kate certainly sees the value of athletics from her own personal experience. As she said in a speech at St. Andrews in Berkshire — where Kate went to school — back in 2012, "It was while I was here at school that I realized my love of sport. Sport has been a huge part of my life, and I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunities I had to get outside and play in such wonderful open spaces."

Time will tell if Charlotte sticks with netball as her sport of choice as she grows older, or if she really follows in her mother's footsteps and takes up field hockey. Kate was captain of the field hockey team when she was at Marlborough College.