Ever wondered how the royalty get their workouts in? You probably imagine cardio routines in a tricked-out private gym, personal trainers galore, maybe some runs around the castle grounds or Pilates and yoga in the garden. You probably don’t picture princesses going for ice-cold swims before the sun comes up, but that’s exactly what Kate Middleton‘s been up to recently.
“The colder, the better. I absolutely love it,” the Princess of Wales said in a recent interview on The Good, the Bad, & the Rugby podcast. “Slightly to the point where William’s like, ‘Catherine, you’re crazy.’ And it’s dark, and it’s raining. I’ll go and seek out cold water.” 
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Middleton appeared with Prince William and Princess Anne on the podcast, which is co-hosted by Anne’s son-in-law, Mike Tindall. All three royals talked about their past and present love of sports and fitness, but it was Princess Kate’s swimming habit that definitely stole the show.
“I love it,” Middleton revealed, though her penchant for cold water immersion only goes so far. “I wouldn’t quite want to be put through my paces with a freezing, sub-zero ice bath,” she admitted.
Middleton is known for her athleticism, having played netball and hockey in high school, where she was also (of course) captain of the swim team. On the podcast, she noted that she “love[s] playing tennis” and “just being on the water” for other sports. She and Prince William “recently got into playing” pickleball as well.
Will and Kate are famously competitive (“I don’t think we’ve actually managed to finish a game of tennis,” Middleton said. “It becomes a mental challenge between the two of us!”) and it sounds like their kids have inherited some of that drive. “What I think is really interesting is that they are all obviously very different temperaments,” Middleton said. Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5, “are growing and trying out different sports” these days. Related story Prince William & Kate Middleton Can't Escape the Urban Myth of Rose Hanbury
As for Middleton’s own fitness, it doesn’t sound like she’s slowing down any time soon. Her cold water swimming habit, while definitely not for everyone, definitely has its upsides. Studies have found that cold water swimming has positive effects on your cardiovascular and immune systems, can improve adaptation to stress, and may have anti-depressive benefits for your mental health as well.
Princess Kate is also known to mix up her workouts. Earlier this year, she told the Daily Mirror that her exercise routine includes “running around after the children” and that “whenever I can squeeze in exercise I do, even jumping on the trampoline with my children before school.” She also loves playing rugby with George, Charlotte, and Louis, saying, “They all love sport and Louis is mad about rugby. They are at an age where they just love running around.” We love the variety.
And if Princess Kate’s latest fitness routine has you considering cold water swimming, know that it does come with some risks — namely cold shock and hypothermia! — so make sure to start slow and only swim with others (never alone) to stay safe. As for us, well, we might be with Will on this one. We’ll stick to the heated gyms and swimming pools this winter!
Before you go, shop these essential items for your home gym:
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