Prince William says a beautiful river can tempt him to interrupt a countryside walk for a cold swim. Kate Middleton once described a very different reaction from her husband when she discussed her own freezing dips.
The 44-year-old shared his favorites with Paula Minchin for Country Life in an interview published online November 12. He guest-edited the magazine’s November 11 issue, which covers rural life, conservation and military service.
The edition took nearly a year to prepare, with William spending around two hours reviewing page proofs at Windsor Castle in October. Minchin said he read the text and made handwritten changes.
His enthusiasm for cold-water swimming was already evident during a visit to the Welsh coast in November 2025, when he discussed his experiences with outdoor swimmers. The trip highlighted young people living in seaside communities.
Swimming Trunks Make William’s Essentials
William included swimwear alongside a flat cap and his British racing green 2016 Land Rover Defender. He described the vehicle as one of the last classic models and valued its practicality over a flashy appearance.
“I’d love us to have rivers that are clean enough for all of us to swim in,” he said. The sound of running water is part of the attraction, and he likes being prepared for an unexpected opportunity.
William also selected the Merlin bird-identification app, which helps him recognize birds he hears while walking. He especially enjoys occasions when it identifies a rare species he had not expected to hear.
Kate’s Enthusiasm Surprised Her Husband
Kate discussed her preferences on the September 9, 2023, episode of The Good, The Bad & The Rugby. She joined William and Princess Anne at Windsor Castle for a conversation with presenters Mike Tindall, James Haskell and Alex Payne.
“The colder, the better. I absolutely love it,” she said, recalling that she would seek out water even in darkness and rain. According to Vanity Fair, she quoted William’s response: “Catherine, you’re crazy.”
Kate described tennis with William as such a competitive mental contest that they struggled to finish a game. She said they had recently started playing padel, while Tindall teased her about the determination he had witnessed during games of beer pong.
William Describes His Noisy Cold Plunges
In Colwyn Bay, William met Chrissy Bolton, Georgia Daniels and Midge Owen Smith from the Colwyn Bay Blue Tits swimming group. He told them he had tried cold-water dips in Scotland, according to BBC Wales.
“I do a lot of yelling and screaming when I get in,” William admitted, while agreeing with the group that he felt good afterward.
His beach walk brought him together with the Marine Conservation Society’s Youth Ocean Network to discuss marine conservation. He later visited Youth Shedz in Mochdre, which supports young people experiencing school exclusion, bullying and homelessness.
Kate Shares Her Own Countryside Memories
For her contribution to the magazine, Kate answered questions from nature writer Robert Macfarlane. She remembered playing in streams, picking blackberries and digging beneath a laurel bush for imagined treasure, recalling the freedom she felt while exploring ordinary surroundings.
She now tries to leave room for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to make their own discoveries, without continually telling them what to see or think. She spoke about the value of collecting leaves, building with sticks and climbing trees in children’s play.
Discussing her recovery from illness, Kate recalled: “I was told in hospital that my recovery would not be linear.” She described nature as a place where she could pause without feeling judged or required to perform, and emphasized the comfort of trusted people and surroundings where she felt at peace.
