Prince William recently revealed the true reason he missed the Paris Olympics: he didn’t want to risk bringing COVID-19 back home to his wife, the Princess of Wales.
Though eager to attend the games, the future King instead stayed glued to the television, following every event closely. The Prince shared this during a visit to a community pool in Bertley, Northeast England, where he met with Olympic and Paralympic swimmers to highlight the Royal Foundation’s efforts to expand access to swimming.
The pool, which had been closed due to council budget cuts, was recently reopened after raising £400,000 through crowdfunding, contributions from the government and Sports England, and an undisclosed donation from the Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
During his visit, William began with an impromptu walkabout, greeting excited locals who had gathered as early as 9 a.m., many of whom took selfies with the Prince. Inside the pool, he met with Olympians Adam Peaty and Tom Dean, as well as Paralympians Maisy Summers-Newton and Louise Fiddes, who proudly displayed their medals.
When Tom Dean asked if he had managed to attend the Paris games, William responded that although he had been keen to go, he chose to stay home after reading about the risks of COVID-19, especially considering that his wife was undergoing chemotherapy at the time. Referring to Adam Peaty, who tested positive for COVID during the games, William shared that he made the decision not to attend to protect his family, adding that they "watched the whole thing" on television and were "glued to it every day."
Earlier in August, the Princess of Wales made a surprise appearance alongside Prince William to praise Team GB’s Olympic achievements in a star-studded video. During the pool visit, William also revealed that their children are developing a love for water sports, inheriting what he called "the water bug." He mentioned that both he and Catherine adore swimming, and that their son George, now 10, is especially fond of scuba diving. William recalled taking George underwater for the first time, expecting him to be nervous, but to their surprise, George "absolutely loved it," marking his introduction to the wonders of the aquatic world.
