The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge went head to head on the water at the inaugural King’s Cup Regatta on Thursday.
Originally scheduled to take place on Friday, August 9, the event was brought forward to Thursday afternoon due to weather warnings for high winds and rain. Eight teams competed on Fast40+ sailing yachts during the competition, which took place in Cowes on the Isle of Wight.
It comes ahead of a bumper weekend sailing programme in the region, which includes the Lendy Cowes Week and SailGP Cowes.
Prince William finished third while Kate finished last and was handed a wooden spoon. It was adventurer Bear Grylls whose sailing team scooped the overall victory.
Each team represented a different charity chosen by the royal couple, who will also skipper two competing boats. The race is sure to see William and Kate resume a competitive feud which saw Kate beat her husband during a New Zealand visit in 2014, in which they went head to head on America’s Cup sailing yachts.
William’s four causes are Child Bereavement UK, Centrepoint, London’s Air Ambulance and Tusk. The prince will compete on behalf of Child Bereavement UK, while his three other charities will be represented by the celebrity ambassadors Bear Grylls, historian Dan Snow and English footballer Fara Williams.
Kate meanwhile was racing on behalf of the Royal Foundation while her other causes of Action on Addiction, Place2Be and the Anna Freud Centre will be represented by comedian John Bishop, presenter Katie Thistleton and Olympic rower Helen Glover.
George and Charlotte were by joined their grandparents Carole and Michael Middleton as they watched the racing from the water.
The winning team of the competing eight will be awarded the King’s Cup, the trophy presented by King George V at the Cowes’ Royal Yacht Squadron in 1920.
A statement from Kensington Palace said: “The Royal Highnesses hope that The King’s Cup will become an annual event, bringing greater awareness to the wider benefits of sport, while also raising support and funds for the causes that the Duke and Duchess report.”