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Princess Kate Middleton’s hidden hobby — and the way the royal spends her free time — is bringing authenticity and resilience to her public image, royal experts told Fox News Digital.
“Princess Catherine has many surprising hobbies and the majority of these align with her love for the great outdoors,” royal expert Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. Kate has taken up the newest hobby of meditation, reportedly under the guidance of renowned photographer, Chris Levine.
“Princess Catherine says the practice can be just as beneficial as medication,” Chard noted. “Meditation gives her balance and peace and is a winner when it comes to overcoming anxiety.”
Kate’s outdoors approach has been characterized as a “rural renaissance,” royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. “Her regular normal Britishness of her treasuring traditions rooted in the wholesomeness of the countryside render her even more appealing to middle-class families as well as rural voters who grew up with such authenticity and resilience.”
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“It’s this most genuine sincerity, versus the seeking of status, that add to her overall appeal, reflected in YouGov polls with her being the most popular royal after Prince William,” she added.
Although her connection to nature isn’t new, royal commentator Amanda Matta told Fox News Digital it has become “more central” to the princess’ public image in the last year.
“Framing time outdoors as her ‘hobby’ works because it’s so accessible. Who can’t achieve a walk in the woods?”
“It reinforces the idea of Kate as grounded and relatable, someone who genuinely enjoys the same simple pleasures as the rest of us,” Matta added.
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Princess Kate also dabbles in a handful of additional hobbies – including sports.
“As far as other hobbies, I think people forget that Kate is genuinely sporty,” Matta told Fox News Digital. “She’s biked, windsurfed, rock-climbed, and gone abseiling in front of the cameras. There are also sweet stories about her playing rugby with her kids in the garden at Anmer Hall and going paddleboarding nearby.”
“She once shared that her children’s happiest moments are outdoors, whether it’s catching tadpoles or baking in the garden, and that really encapsulates her priorities,” Matta added. “She’s the mom who would rather see her kids in muddy clothes than get too much screen time, as she recently referenced in her Center for Early Childhood essay on the ‘epidemic of disconnection.'”
Kate has turned her royal duties into “something more human,” according to Matta.
“Whether it’s gardening at a charity visit or bug hunting alongside students, she makes engagements feel natural instead of ceremonial,” the royal expert explained. “After a year defined by cancer recovery, Kate clearly wants to project groundedness and perspective. The outdoor imagery we keep seeing says a lot in that regard. It’s a visual language of revitalization. Nature has become her shorthand for strength.”
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The princess revealed her cancer diagnosis in March 2024 and confirmed she was undergoing chemotherapy at the time.
By January 2025, the Princess of Wales was in remission.
“It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery,” she wrote in a statement shared on social media. “As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support.”
Another reported passion for the princess is weightlifting “to strengthen her body core,” royal expert and former royal photographer Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital — a must after her cancer recovery.
Prince William believes one of his wife’s hobbies is the “craziest of them all.” Apparently, Princess Kate enjoys swimming in extremely cold streams and pools in the dark.
“Kate thinks this is totally invigorating,” Pelham Turner said.
“Prince William thinks she is amusing and slightly bonkers as she searches for cold water, even in rainy darkness,” Chard confirmed. “It gives her a real mood boost.”
Princess Kate’s “down-to-earth personality” along with her collaborative, friendly and caring approach to life has given her a good position with the public.
“Catherine’s positive attitude as she carries out Royal business, her early years work with passion, duty, commitment and hard work all with a bright smile is commendable,” Chard noted.
“The future of the monarchy is bright with Princess Catherine and her husband at the helm and this is the news we should be shouting from the rooftops.”
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