As the eldest son of Prince William and Kate Middleton, 11-year-old Prince George is constantly surrounded by athleticism and adventure. Both of his parents are avid sports fans and participants, with William regularly playing polo and attending major sporting events. Now, it seems George is following closely in his father’s adventurous footsteps by taking up scuba diving, an exciting new hobby he has really excelled at.
While visiting Leberle Community Pool in Tywyn, Wales on October 3rd, Prince William opened up about George’s scuba diving interest. “George is really into scuba diving at just 11 years old,” William shared. “We took him for a dive expecting him to be nervous but he absolutely loved it. It’s all about introducing him to the wonders of the underwater world.” According to sources, William made this revelation during conversations with British Olympic swimmers Adam Peaty and Tom Dean, who medaled in Paris.
At just 10 years old, George was first introduced to scuba diving by his parents during their 2022 Caribbean tour. William and Kate enjoyed exploring the beautiful barrier reef near their royal resort in Belize. In video and audio clips from the dive, William described it as “amazing to witness the underwater ecosystem.” Both he and Kate have a passion for the ocean realm, which they seem eager to pass on to their children through educational activities like scuba diving.
With three athletic kids of their own who share their competitive spirit, William and Kate understand the importance of supporting local swimming organizations. During his visit to Leberle Community Pool, William expressed his dismay that many pools across the UK have closed in recent years due to funding shortages. “We’ve heard stories up and down the country of pools closing down so we thought no we want to be able to stop this,” he stated. Access to safe swimming programs is crucial, especially for children growing up near coastal regions like Wales.
According to sources, William’s comments were also inspired by his own swimming background. As a student at Eton College, he played water polo and remained an avid swimmer. Kate, too, is noted for her love of open water swimming – even in frigid temperatures. “I absolutely love it, the colder the better,” she proclaimed on the Good, the Bad and the Rugby podcast last year. Clearly, the royals see swimming as an important lifelong activity that fosters both health and educational experiences.
Beyond developing interests like scuba diving, George seems to share his parents’ passion for major sporting events as well. During their conversation at the pool, William mentioned how closely their whole family followed the 2022 Paris Olympics from home, since he did not feel comfortable attending due to Kate’s ongoing cancer treatment. The Princess of Wales had recently completed chemotherapy, putting her at higher risk for infections like COVID-19.
“I was really eager to go but after reading an interview about COVID I decided against it, especially since my wife was undergoing treatment,” William explained to Tom Dean. “I didn’t want to risk bringing anything home.” He further emphasized that despite watching from afar, their family remained “glue to the screen daily” thanks to modern streaming technologies. Their dedication to supporting Team Great Britain shows how sports continue to be an important part of Cambridge family bonding.
Having witnessed firsthand the growth of George’s scuba diving passion, Prince William seems proud to nurture his son’s marine interests through hands-on experiences. Guiding George into waters near their Welsh residence also hints at larger hopes of conserving coastal UK environments for generations to come. With a father so committed to ocean philanthropies like The Earthshot Prize, George will surely continue learning valuable conservation lessons outside the classroom. And as Kate recovers from cancer treatment, family adventures like diving may take on even deeper meaning in terms of appreciating time together in the great outdoors.
As George enters his pre-teen years, it’s clear he carries the same zest for discovery and physical challenge as his accomplished parents. Between developing a newfound love of scuba diving under William’s tutelage and cheering on Britain’s Olympic success from the Cambridge home, the young prince seems well on his way to becoming a lifelong ocean steward and sports enthusiast in his own right. With supportive guidance from his father, George’s underwater adventures are only just beginning.