Kate Middleton and Prince William Tap into Their Sporty Sides at London’s Olympics Park

The Prince and Princess of Wales marked the 10th anniversary of Coach Core, a sporting initiative formed to capture the spirit of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games

Kate Middleton and Prince William are going back to their sporty roots!

The Prince and Princess of Wales visited the Copper Box Arena in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London on Thursday to support Coach Core, a program celebrating its 10th anniversary that trains young people to become coaches and encourages the next generation of athletes.

Kate and Prince William, both 40, are no strangers to getting a little competitive on royal outings, from joining different teams in sailing races to facing off in a sprint on a track.

The royal couple got involved with several young people associated with the charity and got a taster of some of the sport sessions offered. Also present was Gary Laybourne, Coach Core CEO.

The Coach Core program was launched by Prince William, Princess Kate and Prince Harry as part of the Royal Foundation in 2012. The sporting initiative, which is now an independent charity, was formed in response to the London riots and to capture the spirit of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Coach Core work across 17 different sites in the U.K. and have helped over 750 disadvantaged young people start meaningful careers with sports coaching apprenticeships. The charity — which is also supported by ambassadors from the sports world including England Lioness and Manchester City captain Steph Houghton, six-time Olympic medallist Max Whitlock, tennis legend Judy Murray and elite gymnastics coach Scott Hann — also have a five-year agreement in place with Sport England to become a systemic partner of change.

In 2020, Prince William opened the Coach Core Awards with a video message, voicing his pride at their achievements, despite the coronavirus pandemic.

“This year more than any in the program’s history, Coach Core’s apprentices have had to overcome challenges, adapt and learn to be flexible in the face of difficulty,” he said. “I am so proud, both of your individual accomplishments this year and of Coach Core itself.”

Over the years, the royals have been heavily involved in the program. In 2018, Kate and Prince William visited South Essex Gymnastic Club where they took part of games of tennis and Boccia (with Kate competing in heels!).

In 2017, Kate visited the Aston Villa Football Club to see the work of Coach Core in action, and a month earlier she was joined by Prince William and Prince Harry at their annual awards ceremony.