Prince William Beats Pregnant Kate Middleton In An Ice Hockey Shootout
While on a visit to the snow-covered Scandinavian countries Norway and Sweden, Prince William and his wife Kate were photographed challenging one another to an ice hockey shootout.
The much-loved royal couple is representing the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in what has been described as an attempt to charm fellow European countries before Brexit finally kicks in.
Kate – now well into her third pregnancy – did not let her visible baby bump get in the way of having a little fun with her hubby on the ice. The royals were escorted into the rink over a red carpet that had been rolled all the way onto the ice.
With hockey sticks in hand, William and Kate were each given three attempts to score a goal. The prince managed to secure two goals, while the duchess got none. A surprising result considering that Kate was a star field hockey player at school. In all fairness, however, the grass is a little bit different from slippery ice.
The rink was situated in Sweden’s capital, Stockholm, which is the first stop on the couple’s tour. While ice hockey might not be a foreign concept to the European-born William and Kate, this particular type of game is called Bandy, a precursor to modern hockey. It is a Winter Olympic sport that is extremely popular in Scandinavia.
Sweden’s most famous Bandy player, Anna Widing, was on hand to give the royals some pointers.
“Kate had played field hockey and I was expecting her to be good — and she was very good. She knew how to hold the stick and she had a very good swing. I was impressed.”
Commenting on the dynamic between William and Kate, Widing said, “I could see that maybe they like to beat each other.” Healthily so, Widing added, noting that “they were pushing each other to do well.”
According to the Daily Mail, the Duke and Duchess took part in a local tradition before stepping onto the ice. Part of the ceremony involves drinking from a flask containing gluhwein or some alcohol-infused coffee. However, abiding by royal decorum, William and Kate opted for a non-alcoholic drink instead.
As usual, the prince and duchess were stylishly dressed. Especially Kate, who sported a Burberry coat, skinny jeans, and smart snow boots from Sorel. As a homage to Swedish fashion, Kate also wore a jersey designed by Fjällräven, an immensely popular local brand.
