Prince William and Princess of Wales were 'nervous' to try winter sport

Lewis Henderson

By Lewis Henderson


Published: 30/01/2026

- 16:08

The Prince and Princess of Wales left the Olympians 'starstruck'

Prince William and Princess Catherine "were a wee bit nervous" to try out curling during their visit to Stirling's National Curling Academy in Scotland.

The Prince and Princess of Wales tried their hand at a light-hearted curling contest with the athletes.


Bruce Mouat, who won silver in Beijing, told Hello!: "I was starstruck, to be honest. They walked into the ice rink just like two normal people would.

"It was so cool, having the Prince and Princess shaking hands with us, chatting and wishing us good luck.

Princess Catherine, Jen DoddsThe Princess of Wales celebreating with Olympian Jen Dodds | GETTY

"I thought it was really special that they came along and I was honoured to have the opportunity to teach them how to curl."

Mr Mouat's mixed-doubles partner, Jen Dodds, described the time as "a blur".

Ms Dodds said: "I was just like: 'What is going on?' We had been in a bubble for over a month, just us, the boys' team and our support staff. It was overwhelming.

"You could tell they were a wee bit nervous. Obviously, it's not normal to slide about on the ice, but for a first attempt, they both did very well. I was impressed by both of them."

Prince William

Mr Mouat said he was 'starstruck' to meet the future king

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Ms Dodds has met royalty in the past, when she won gold in 2022.

She was delighted to be awarded an MBE for services to curling by Princess Anne at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

Recollecting the day, the Olympian said: "That was really special. [Anne] said: 'Congratulations from the whole country.'"

William and Catherine, who hold the titles Duke and Duchess of Rothesay north of the border, visited the academy and met several Team GB athletes preparing for the upcoming Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Milano-Cortina, which take place in February and March.

Princess Catherine

Princess Catherine was 'a wee bit nervous' when having a go

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Curling ranks among Britain's most decorated winter sports, with Olympic and Paralympic teams having secured a combined eight medals in the discipline to date.

The Princess of Wales's early attempts on the ice proved challenging, with Catherine slipping during several practice rounds and voicing her frustration when her stone failed to travel the required distance.

Despite these initial difficulties, she soon got the hang of the technique and went on to triumph in the competition.

Her husband fared better at the outset, delivering a smoother opening run than Catherine managed.

Princess Catherine

The Princess of Wales beat her husband during the competition

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However, when it came to the decisive moment, William's stone landed further from the target than his wife's, handing her the victory.

The princess achieved her win whilst wearing a skirt, having switched from heeled boots to flat black footwear for the ice.

Both royals changed their footwear for the occasion, with the Prince of Wales swapping his brown oxfords for black trainers after the couple had earlier stopped at The Kelpies sculptures in Falkirk.