The Prince and Princess of Wales went head-to-head in a netball drill as they joined young athletes and their parents being coached on building up mental resilience.
William and Kate, known for their competitive natures, laughed and joked as they tried to score hoops for opposing teams, with the prince joining mothers and fathers and the princess welcomed by their children.
The future king said he has been instilling positive sporting messages in his children about “how you can lose well and win well” and to “respect your opponent, respect the decision”.
The casually dressed couple attended a mental fitness workshop run by SportsAid at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre in Berkshire, where parents learnt about the importance of mental resilience while their sons and daughters reflected on how they cope under pressure.
When William first spotted the middle-aged parents in a sports hall, he joked about “grown-ups dunking hoops” as Kate said “I’ll go to the back and watch what everybody does” and gestured to her husband to join his group.
The teams first practiced shooting hoops, then tried to score while under pressure, to mimic playing conditions, with William and Kate – joined by Paralympic champion swimmer Ellie Simmonds – distracting opposition players by waving their arms.
Despite still having two fingers strapped up as a precaution after a recent trampoline accident, Kate was eager to take on her husband, and the session ended with the princess trying to score as William defended the hoop, though she missed four times.
During the visit, the prince sat with parents and discussed supporting their children’s sporting careers.
He said about his own young family: “I try to talk to them about how you can win well and lose well. I think that’s really important.”
He told the group, which included Sir Matthew Pinsent, a four-time Olympic rowing champion, SportsAid trustee and father of three sporty teenagers: “They need to understand they’re not going to win everything.”
