Skilled Swimmer Prince William Returns Poolside for a Special Reason

Mar. 15, 2025

Prince William, Prince of Wales, waves upon his arrival to visit Birtley Community Pool in Tyne and Wear on Oct. 3, 2024 to celebrate its reopening and highlight the importance of access to swimming.Photo:OLI SCARFF/POOL/AFP via Getty

OLI SCARFF/POOL/AFP via Getty

Prince Williamis back poolside!

The Prince of Wales, 42, highlighted the benefits of swimming for both physical and mental health as he celebrated the rebirth of a community pool in northeast England on Thursday, Oct. 3.

Prince William’s connection to swimming has deep roots: he was a talented swimmer and also played water polo for both Eton College and the University of St. Andrews where, as a younger man, he wowed in Speedo-style swimwearwhen starring in, and cheering on, his teammates in university competitions.

In 2019, proud dad Prince William shared that his two elder childrenPrince George, now 11, andPrincess Charlotte, now 9,could swim “quite well"while chatting with Eileen Fenton, the first woman to compete the Cross Channel Swimming Race (a feat she accomplished in 1950). He added that the royals were a “family of swimmers.” (Prince Louis, now 6 but just a year old at the time, was likely too young to be included in the family swims back then.)

“The colder, the better. I absolutely love it,” she said on the show. “Slightly to the point where William’s like, ‘Catherine, you’re crazy.’ And it’s dark, and it’s raining.”

Prince William chats to the Olympians and Paralympians he met at Birtley Community Pool on Oct. 3.OLI SCARFF/POOL/AFP via Getty

Kate’s sisterPippa Middletonis also a swimmer, and shewrote about swimmingbeing one of her go-to workouts while pregnant.

Prince William looks at Olympic medals with British swimmer Adam Peaty at Birtley Community Pool on Oct. 3.OLI SCARFF/POOL/AFP via Getty

With only one-third of school kids in the U.K. leaving elementary school able to swim, the availability of good facilities to learn to do so is crucial. The Royal Foundation that the Prince and Princess of Wales share has played a vital role in rehabilitating the pool in Birtley, located in Tyne and Wear, and through a new partnership, the Foundation teamed with Birtley Community Pool to provide swimming lessons and lifeguard training.

Soon after arriving on the afternoon of Oct. 3, William was told how the community came together and rallied outside help to save the pool after it was closed in July 2023. It reopened in September 2024.

Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks with schoolchildren attending a swimming class during his visit to Birtley Community Pool to celebrate its reopening and highlight the importance of access to swimming on Oct. 3, 2024 in Birtley, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom.OLI SCARFF/POOL/AFP via Getty

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Prince William, Prince of Wales, speaks with wellwishers upon his arrival to visit Birtley Community Pool in Tyne and Wear, northeast of England, on Oct. 3, 2024 to celebrate its reopening and highlight the importance of access to swimming.OLI SCARFF/POOL/AFP via Getty

The Royal Foundation also supported a community outreach officer to help increase children’s participation in swimming, as well as helped the Birtley Community Pool’s trustees expand their network of supporters — including Swim England and brands like the aforementioned Speedo.

Now that the Birtley Community Pool has reopened, William’s office at Kensington Palace shared that it’s expected that 16,000 people will participate in swimming activities at the pool monthly, including 6,500 children.

source: people.com