The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are cheered on by number one fan Prince George as they go head-to-head in a star-studded eight-boat sailing regatta on the Isle of Wight.
Kate, 37, arrived in a pair of £150 L.K.Bennett navy trousers and a £135 colourful frilled top by Sandro, before changing into a more practical polo shirt and shorts for the inaugural King’s Cup race around Cowes.
William, 37, and the duchess are not only racing against each other, but also a selection of famous faces including adventurer Bear Grylls, comedian John Bishop and Olympic champion rower Helen Glover.
Each boat taking part represents one of Their Royal Highnesses’ eight charities and the winning team will later be awarded the historic trophy The King’s Cup, which was first presented by King George V at Cowes’ Royal Yacht Squadron in 1920.
Kate, 37, was seen dressed in a jacket, shorts and trainers, shielding her face with a cap as she joined the team racing her husband Prince William in the King’s Cup race around Cowes today
The royal arrived in a pair of navy trousers and striped top, before changing into a sporty outfit of a polo shirt, blue shorts, white jacket and a hat before making her way to her boat
Ahead of the race, Kate made a quick outfit change into a white polo shirt and navy shorts. The royal posed alongside husband Prince William and The King’s Cup charity ambassadors, Fara Williams for CentrepointUK, Dan Snow for LDNairamb, Bear Grylls for Tusk, John Bishop for ActionAddiction, Katie Thistleton for Place2Be, and Helen Glover for AFNCCF
The charities represented are those being supported this year by Their Royal Highnesses, which include Child Bereavement UK, Centrepoint, London’s Air Ambulance Charity 30th Anniversary Campaign, and Tusk – four causes of which The Duke is Patron.
The Duchess is supporting four of her patronages: Action on Addiction, Place2Be, the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, and The Royal Foundation in connection with Her Royal Highness’s longstanding work on Early Years.
As for the stars, England Women’s footballer Fara Williams is representing Centrepoint, while television presenter Dan Snow is racing for London’s Air Ambulance Charity’s 30th anniversary campaign.
Grylls is skippering a yacht for wildlife conservation organisation Tusk, Bishop is competing for Action on Addiction, BBC presenter Katie Thistleton for Place2Be, and Glover for the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families.
The mother-of-three was seen wearing a cap as she competed on behalf of The Royal Foundation in the inaugural Kings Cup regatta hosted by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
With her hair tied back, Kate’s face was full of concentration as she steers her team’s boat – hoping it will be to victory. The winning team will be awarded The King’s Cup trophy at a public prize giving ceremony later this afternoon
Kate (pictured) looks in her element as she goes to head-to-head in the eight-boat regatta in support of her chosen charitable causes
Pictured: John Bishop at the helm racing on behalf of Action on Addiction during the inaugural Kings Cup regatta hosted by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are competing against one another and six other teams in state of the art Fast-40 boats.
Members of the public cheered as they watched the race from 800-seater grandstands on the shore, with footage also played on screens across the town.
Meanwhile, others took the opportunity to participate in a number of family-friendly activities and exhibits which promoted sailing around the event, including initiatives and programmes for children and young people.
The winning team will be awarded The King’s Cup trophy at a public prize giving ceremony later this afternoon, which is to be held at the SailGP Race Village along Cowes seafront towards Egypt Point.
The Duke and Duchess are strong advocates for sport, and have undertaken work both in the UK and overseas to highlight the positive impact that sport can have on the individual and within local communities.
The Duchess, pictured, champions how the benefits of sport, nature and the outdoors can impact childhood development, and lead to improved physical and mental well being for all
Kate holds onto her cap amid the windy weather conditions as she takes part in the King’s Cup regatta at Cowes on the Isle of Wight
The sporty duchess fit in nicely amongst her team mates as she takes part in the King’s Cup regatta at Cowes on the Isle of Wight today
The Duchess in particular champions how the benefits of sport, nature and the outdoors can impact childhood development, and lead to improved physical and mental wellbeing for all.
Their Royal Highnesses hope that The King’s Cup will become an annual event, bringing greater awareness to the wider benefits of sport, whilst also raising support and funds for the causes that The Duke and Duchess support.
The event also gives the couple the chance to renew their sporting rivalry.
The duke trounced his wife when they competed in a dragon boat race in Canada in 2011, but Kate got her revenge three years later when she won a sailing event in Auckland during their tour of New Zealand.
William took the honours again during a visit to the German city of Heidelberg in 2017, when he was victorious in a riverboat race against his wife.
Kate, 37, looked in high spirits as she arrived in the Isle of Wight today. The royal is set to compete against husband Prince William in a major sailing regatta in support of Their Royal Highnesses’ charitable causes
The Duchess of Cambridge appeared in excellent spirits as she arrived at the event alongside husband Prince William
William, 36, and Kate arriving at The Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes to sail in The Kings Cup Sailing Race. They will compete against stars including adventurer Bear Grylls, comedian John Bishop and Olympic champion rower Helen Glover
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have gone head-to-head on the water before, with Kate triumphing in a sailing race on their 2014 royal tour of New Zealand, pictured