Breaking News: Behavioral Expert Says Prince William Developed the Same Competitive Nature as Kate Middleton (& I Totally Agree)… See More

Last month, Prince William’s brother-in-law, James Middleton, revealed in his memoir that William typically avoided playing competitive games with the Middletons. In Meet Ella, James wrote, “Ella gave him a good excuse to escape the fiercely competitive nature of the Middleton family, which emerged every time we played our favorite fast-paced card game, Racing Demon.”

The author even mentioned how the prince would “flinch” at their fierce determination to win and offer to walk his dog, Ella, instead. But now, it appears this competitive streak has rubbed off on William, according to behavioral expert Darren Stanton.

Earlier this week, Stanton observed the future king’s body language when he attended an NFL Foundation UK event and joined a friendly game of American flag football. Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, he offered some insights and said, “He’s got a very competitive nature, just like Kate Middleton. You can see, when he’s playing around, in his face, he loves to take part in things like this and wants to do well, and he’s pretty good!”

In case you missed it, the prince was bursting with enthusiasm as he played the role of quarterback with a few young players. As seen in the highlights he shared on his official Instagram account, William was totally in his element. Stanton continued, “He gets high fives from some of the others taking part at the event, and you can see some of the adulation on his face. He loves interacting with people, being part of the action, and loves to compete.”

The same could still be said for William’s wife, Kate Middleton, who has also engaged in her fair share of sporting events, from football and hockey to relay racing. (Remember when the couple ran together at London Marathon Training Day in 2017?)

As you can see, both royals were in it to win it. And more recently, in 2023, Kate showed her competitive side while playing netball at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre.

In the snap, Kate was all smiles and totally relaxed as she joined staffers for a quick game—much like Prince William when he played flag football.

While observing the prince’s body language, Stanton also noted his surprising choice of footwear. He said, “He’s wearing trainers, a really nice touch. He’s saying, ‘I want to be like you, I’m not separate.’ Yes, he has a suit on, but wearing trainers allows him to be more casual and move around better.”

Another fascinating detail worth noting? He kept two buttons of his shirt undone, rather than keeping a tightly buttoned collar. This indicates that he was definitely more relaxed and at ease.

The flag football event was held in celebration of NFL Foundation UK’s three-year anniversary. Before heading to the field, he met with community partners and representatives from NFL UK to discuss how they’re empowering young people to build their confidence and thrive in sports.

Prince William said in a statement, “Seeing first-hand the power of sport in building confidence and providing a level playing field for all. @nflflag is fast-paced, inclusive, and designed to inspire and engage young people, developing their confidence and supporting them to reach their full potential.”