Why Kate is terrified George will take up one in all William’s hobbies
It is every wife and mother’s worst nightmare – a husband or son who loves motorbikes.
Prince William is one such speed freak, and in the past left the Princess of Wales very worried.
Asked by a royal fan in 2015 if her husband was still into his motorbike, Kate admitted: ‘He’s still riding it. It always fills me with horror when he goes out on it – I’m terrified. Hopefully I’m going to keep George off it.’
Prince William passed his full motorcycle test in 2002 at just 19 years old, meaning he could upgrade from a 50cc to a 125cc engine – no doubt filling Charles and the late Queen with dread.
Once dubbed the ‘Prince of Wheels’, he has had a strong passion for motorbikes from a young age.
The bikes he has owned include a £15,000 Ducati 1198s, which has a top speed of 180mph.
Prince William riding his Ducati motorbike after playing a polo match in 2009
The prince riding a Honda CRF 230 half way through his charity motorbike trek across South Africa in 2008
Kate with Prince George in 2022. She has previously expressed concerns about her son getting into motorbikes
A Daily Mail clipping from 2015, when Kate said William’s motorbike antics ‘filled her with horror’
William’s father King Charles apparently shared the same concerns as Kate long before she expressed them.
In 2006, it was reported that the then 23-year-old prince was required to have minders with him when hitting the road on his 1100cc Honda Super Blackbird.
The now King sent one of his own senior bodyguards, Ian McRae, to shadow his son.
For William, the ability to remain anonymous under a dark helmet and full leather body suit while out and about was reportedly one of the things that attracted him to the hobby.
A source told the Daily Mail at the time: ‘At first it was seen as a bit of fun.
‘Members of the family, including the Queen, enjoyed hearing how he would disappear into the night and drive about the capital and other parts of the country anonymously.
‘But now it is fair to say there is some concern for him.’
Prince William didn’t share the same concern and said: ‘Riding a motorbike can be dangerous but so can lots of things really.
Prince William riding his Daytona 600 motorbike to a charity polo match in 2005
The prince about to leave Coworth Park in 2009 on his beloved Ducati bike after a polo match
The Daily Mail called William the ‘Prince of Wheels’ in 2002
‘It is a risk, but as long as you’ve had sufficient and thorough training, you should be okay.
‘My father is concerned that I’m into motorbikes, but he doesn’t want to keep me all wrapped up in cotton wool. It’s something I’m passionate about.’
William shared his passion with Prince Harry, who soon was also joining him on rides and passed his test when he was around 23.
The pair completed a 1,000 mile motorbike trek for charity across the South African wilderness – Enduro Africa – in 2008, riding Honda CRF 230s.
They were reportedly very eager to complete the challenge together, and William said at the time: ‘We are both quite good but I know we will both fall off a lot of times.
Prince William (right) with Prince Harry (left) before departing on their 1,000 mile Enduro Africa motorbike charity trek in 2008
Prince William and Harry sat on a police officer’s motorbike during a visit to the force in 1987
The Daily Mail previously reported on Prince William having a minder when out on the road
‘Although we both have motorbikes at the moment, off road biking is completely different.
‘It is all is up hill, down slopes, across rovers and is incredibly rocky and hilly. It’s going to be a real challenge.’
By 2017, William admitted to World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea that he had put his hobby on the ‘back-burner’.
After receiving his MBE from William at Buckingham Palace, Rea revealed: ‘I know he’s a bit of a motorcycle fan himself.
‘We talked about his bikes and the fact that he has put it on the back-burner a little bit because of his children now.’
The prince pictured in his full motorbike gear before getting on his Ducati in 2009
Last month, William was seen on a much slower set of wheels.
A film captured at Windsor Castle appeared to show the Prince whizzing around on an electric scooter.
It was first reported in July 2023 that the father-of-three had invested in an electric scooter to zip around the Windsor estate.
He made the purchase to speed up the three-mile round trip from the Wales family’s Adelaide Cottage to see his father at Windsor Castle, according to reports.
