Move over, surfing. There's a new Sport of Kings in town.
I am currently in Nashville, Tennessee attending my very talented daughter’s university graduation. She made it through with honors, playing soccer on full scholarship and generally crushing. I am very proud, prouder, likely, than England’s King Charles whose genealogically talented son is currently in that country’s surf capital, thrusting a blade into, funny enough, the Sport of Kings.
Prince William and his estranged brother Harry Bryant have surf dabbled for much of their gilded lives, sometimes soft-topping, sometimes putting their bodies on a boogie. You can imagine, then, the hope and thrill in Cornwall when the heir came galloping into town.
Local media was boasting “the warm spring weather, with temperatures of around 16C and a gentle breeze” there off Fistral Beach. Surfline calling it 2 -3 and fair.
Perfect surfing weather.
And yet, the fair prince neither wetsuited nor paddled nor glided upon the face of the ocean, instead opting to play beach volleyball.
Ouch.
Per Daily Mail:
William showed off his volleyball skills as his serving proved too much as the opposition repeatedly knocked the ball into the net while attempting a return.
William, who is also the Duke of Cornwall, a title inherited from his father after the Queen’s death, runs the Duchy of Cornwall, a portfolio of land, property and investments valued at more than £1 billion, which provide an income for the heir to the throne.
Despite the warm weather – one of the hottest days so far this year – William appeared cool, calm and collected in a light-blue shirt and navy chinos.
He added a pair of snazzy shades for the relaxed outing and made a face of pure concentration as he served the ball in the game.
It must be noted that the “opposition” happened to be teenagers from the local lifesaving club.
Surfing, in any case, dealt a major blow. Will it entirely disappear from merry old England, being wholly replaced by beach volleyball.
Hope springs.