Among the hobbies the royals can't get enough of are universally loved activities that the rest of us also enjoy. However, this is a family who likewise relish spending their time away from official duties and engaging in some more unusual pursuits.
There's the late Queen Elizabeth's dedication to walking her beloved Corgi dogs, Prince Harry's Transatlantic enthusiasm for polo and Kate Middleton's penchant for tennis. However, there is also much we don't know about their private interests - from King Charles' passion for keeping chickens to Prince Philip's love of painting and Kate Middleton's piano skills.
If what the royal family gets up to in their own time is a reflection of who they really are, then get to know them a little better in our round-up of the hobbies - spanning sports and the arts - that they can't get enough of when off-duty. You'll also find out which members are unlikely fans of motorbiking and barbecuing...
32 hobbies the royals can't get enough of
Gardening
It's perhaps unsurprising that King Charles, who has long championed environmental causes, is obsessed with gardening. The monarch has spent years cultivating the grounds of Highgrove House. An interesting fact about King Charles: he even once co-wrote a book on organic farming.
Polo
Several generations of the royals have got well-acquainted with the polo field. These include Prince William and Prince Harry who grew up playing the fast-paced equestrian sport and often competed against one another at charity events. The Duke of Sussex has even continued saddling up near his California home in Santa Barbara.
Skiing
The royal family loves hitting the slopes when they can - but the Yorks are perhaps the most dedicated of all. Prince Andrew's former wife Sarah Ferguson was frequently seen taking their daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie skiing while they were children, and they previously owned a Swiss chalet.
Horse riding
While the late Queen Elizabeth had a well-known passion for horses, her daughter Princess Anne and granddaughter Zara Tindall took it to a whole new level. Both competed in equestrian events at the Olympics, taking part in everything from dressage to show jumping.
Tennis
Princess Diana was a fan of tennis both on and off the court, attending Wimbledon to spectate and also once playing against champion Steffi Graff. Her son Prince William's wife Kate Middleton later became a regular in the Royal Box, formed a close friendship with player Roger Federer and is believed to have regular lessons at the Hurlingham Club in London.
Running
The royals love running as a way to stay fit - although some are speedier than others, as the world saw when the Princess of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry raced against one another at an engagement in 2017. Interestingly, Princess Beatrice remains the only member of the family to complete the London Marathon.
Piano
The Princess of Wales gave royal fans quite the surprise when she showed off her impressive piano skills for the Together At Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey in 2021, having learned the musical instrument as a child. The late Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana are also believed to have enjoyed playing.
Acting
The royals' best-known acting talent is Meghan Markle, who rose to fame on Netflix show Suits. However, others have also loved getting into character. A young Prince Edward initially embarked on a theatre career, while the late Queen Elizabeth reportedly relished getting in front of the camera alongside Daniel Craig's 007.
Rugby
England's Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League make up two of the Princess of Wales' patronages. She has been seen having a go at the sport, and the Cambridge children have played at school. They could perhaps all get some tips from Zara Tindall's husband Mike, a former rugby union player who represented England and was part of the 2003 Word Cup-winning team.
Winter sports
It's clear that the royal family can't get enough of being in the snow - but not just for the skiing. King Charles was seen taking his sons Prince William and Prince Harry sledding on holiday when they were younger, while the Duke of Sussex enthusiastically tried the 'skeleton' in Canada during an event to promote his Invictus Games in 2024.
Photography
The Princess of Wales is famously a fan of photography, having inherited the hobby from her late paternal grandfather Peter Middleton. Since then, she has got behind the camera to take official portraits of her children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - and produced the 2020 photography book Hold Still. There's seemingly no limit to Kate Middleton's hobbies and talents!
Football
Prince William is known to be a huge football fan, and is the president of England's Football Association. The Arsenal supporter has passed his passion for the game onto his eldest son Prince George, who is understood to play for a local team during school term time and was lucky enough to accompany his parents to one of England's Euro 2020 matches at Wembley Stadium.
Sailing
Sailing is a pastime that runs in the royal family. But while some may have enjoyed travelling by sea on the Royal Yacht Britannia, other members have chosen to be more hands-on. Prince Philip eagerly took part in Cowes Week off the Isle of Wight from the 1950s, while the Princess of Wales got involved in a commonwealth boat race in 2022 and has reportedly been teaching her children the skills of a skipper.
Indoor games
Just like many families, the royals have a competitive streak when they all come together. Sarah Ferguson revealed, on her podcast, that 'board games, card games, Scrabble, jigsaws' were just some of the indoor activities her relatives got up to when hanging out. Particularly relatably, she added that the late Queen Elizabeth wasn't a fan of Monopoly because it often 'caused rows'.
Baking
The royals have eagerly shown off their baking skills over the years. The Princess of Wales has been seen whizzing up cupcakes in her kitchen with the help of her three children, while Prince Edward's wife Sarah, Duchess of Cambridge got to work producing dozens of scones for a charitable cause during the pandemic.
Reading
During the filming of the BBC's Royal Family documentary, released in 1969, Princess Anne could be seen with her head in a book - however she isn't the only one to love reading. Queen Camilla, who is patron of the Literacy Trust, has previously shared her favourite fiction, while the Princess of Wales was spotted picking up the classics at her local Waterstones on Kensington High Street.
Spending time with their dogs
When she wasn't out on official engagements, the late Queen Elizabeth was often spending quality time with her beloved Corgis. The monarch got her passion for the dog breed from her father King George VI and the Queen Mother. For periods in the 1980s, she was the proud owner of up to 13 of the adorable pooches at a time.
Golf
The royal dedication to golf spans decades, with King George VI and the Queen Mother taking part in the sport during their 1923 honeymoon. However, its biggest fan in the family is Prince Andrew - who has been seen showing off his swing at courses from Scotland to Spain over the years.
Cooking
While they may be lucky enough to have private palace chefs, the royals can still fend for themselves in the kitchen. Queen Camilla has previously revealed she likes to cook fish en papillote with butter and herbs, while Meghan Markle often shared recipes on her former lifestyle blog The Tig and helped produce a charity cookbook in aid of Grenfell.
Hiking
King Charles loves getting some rare peace and quiet during long walks in nature. He embarked on a three-day trek in the foothills of the Himalayas, Nepal in 1980, but in recent years has stuck to Balmoral Castle's 50,000-acre estate - where he surprised a group of shocked Scottish cyclists in 2023 by hiking completely solo.
Dancing
Queen Camilla has previously declared herself the 'greatest fan' of Strictly Come Dancing, and showed off her ballroom skills with judge Craig Revel Horwood in 2009. Other light-footed royals on the dancefloor include Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana, who were famously partnered up with US President Gerald Ford and actor John Travolta respectively. In one of Princess Diana's most memorable moments, she paired up with the A-lister to dance at an event hosted by Ronald and Nancy Reagan at the White House in 1985.
Carriage riding
In one of the royal family's more niche hobbies, Prince Philip spent hours ensconced in the competitive sport of carriage driving - as documented in Netflix's The Crown. He took up the activity in his 50s when a wrist injury forced him to give up playing polo, and his youngest granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor has since picked up the reins.
Horse racing
Not a summer goes by without members of the family dressed up and in attendance at Royal Ascot, and the late Queen Elizabeth attended the prestigious horse racing event with various relatives right up until 2021. However, as well as spectating, the monarch also bred thoroughbred racehorses - a pursuit that has been passed down to King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Working out at the gym
There's nothing like heading to the gym for a good sweat session - something the royals know all too well. Princess Diana regularly headed to the Chelsea Harbour Gym Club in London, where her cool workout attire was famously captured on camera - and is now considered amongst her best fashion. What's more, in 2008, the late Queen privately built a fully equipped gym for family members and staff inside Buckingham Palace.
Shooting
In a hobby that is perhaps less relatable than some, the royals are big fans of shooting parties. During summers at Balmoral Castle, members will often take part in grouse-hunting expeditions. The Prince and Princess of Wales are believed to have introduced Prince George to the sport for the first time in 2018.
Painting
While the royals may be used to sitting for portraits, Prince Philip enjoyed picking up the paintbrush himself. The late Duke of Edinburgh's best-known oil painting is 'The Queen at Breakfast' which he completed in 1965. He has passed the hobby down to King Charles, who himself favours watercolours.
Writing
The most enthusiastic writer in the royal family was long Sarah Ferguson, who penned a series of children's stories before Meghan Markle followed in her footsteps with The Bench in 2021. However, one of the best-selling books of all time was Prince Harry's autobiography Spare - packed full of bombshells and interesting facts about Prince Harry.
Motorbiking
Few people know that Prince William is a dedicated motorbike enthusiast. The heir to the throne has owned a number of bikes since passing his test at the age of 19 and reportedly rode around London on the eve of his 2011 wedding. It's clear he likes travelling on two wheels, because he also enlists an electric scooter to get around the vast Windsor estate.
Barbecuing
According to the late Queen Elizabeth's former private chef, Prince Philip was the family's most enthusiastic fan of the barbecue. The Duke of Edinburgh would take charge of the grill at Balmoral Castle, cooking Aberdeenshire beef and salmon caught on the nearby River Dee.
Ballet
The elegant dance form is a passion shared by both of King Charles' wives. Princess Diana memorably performed ballet on stage at the Royal Opera House in 1985, and became a patron of English National Ballet. Meanwhile, Queen Camilla revealed in 2020 that she has become 'completely hooked' on it as a way to keep fit.
Swimming
The royal family are keen fans of swimming - with many members practising their first strokes in the private pool beneath Buckingham Palace, including the Cambridge children. While Princess Margaret loved to take a dip as way to relax on holiday, several decades later the Princess of Wales engaged in cold water swimming for its health benefits.
Raising chickens
Forget dogs and horses, for King Charles it's all about the chickens. The monarch keeps a small flock of chickens at Highgrove House, and is believed to frequently feed the hens and collect their eggs himself. It is a hobby that Prince Harry has taken with him to California, where he and Meghan Markle keep chickens in their Montecito home.
