Royals
Can we all agree that one-piece snowsuits need to make an immediate comeback?
If ever there was a family who loved a ski holiday, it's this bunch. Scrolling through photos of royals in the snow, you'll see generation after generation of hearty princes and princesses, queens and kings, having the time of their lives in the snow. Who could blame them when they get to ski in gorgeous locales all over the planet?
The royal family has long enjoyed ski holidays together. While different ski areas in Switzerland are favored by the royals, Klosters in particular, they have also been known to hit the slopes in the French and Italian Alps and Austria when they have the chance.
So what is it about skiing that appeals to all royals, from King George VI all the way down to 7-year-old heir to the throne Prince George? Is it the amazing outfits, hanging out by the fire for a little après-ski at one of those luxurious resorts? Or is it the time spent together, away from the paparazzi apart from one quick photo call, away from official royal duties, away from the demands of everyday life?
Presumably it is a mix of all of the above. And whatever their motivation might be, they are clearly loving every moment spent on the slopes.
The Sporty Duke Of Edinburgh
Prince Philip was the picture of a sporty dad in 1965 hitting the slopes with Prince Charles and Princess Anne in Lichtenstein.
Like Father, Like Son
Prince Charles continues the tradition on a solo ski down the French Alps in 1965.
The Independent Princess
Princess Anne has a reputation for eschewing all the bowing and scraping that comes with royal privilege, and proved it by carrying her own skis during a winter holiday in France in 1969.
A New Ski Partner
Prince Charles met his match on the slopes, at least, when he married Princess Diana in 1981. Throughout her time as a royal she spent loads of time in the snow, including a little ski holiday with her husband in 1984 in Malbun, Liechtenstein.
Ski Soul Sisters
Princess Diana found a great ski buddy in her new sister-in-law Sarah Ferguson in 1988 in Klosters. They both look so happy to be hanging out.
The Original Fab Four
They were much simpler times when Prince Charles and Princess Diana joined the Duke and Duchess of York for a holiday in the snow in 1987. Those one-piece snowsuits though..
The Next Generation
Princes William and Harry learned to love being in the snow at an early age, thanks to ski trips with their mom Princess Diana like this one in Lech, Austria in 1994.
The Family That Skiis Together...
Please take a moment to enjoy Prince William and Prince Harry looking protective of their little cousins, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, during a ski holiday to Klosters in 1995.
Cuddling Up In The Cold
A ski holiday isn't just skiing, of course, there's also all of that hanging out time. Look at the way Princess Diana is smiling at Prince Harry during their sleigh ride in Austria in 1994. That's pure joy.
All That Skiing Works Up An Appetite
All that fresh air and snow looked to be enough to work up an appetite in 1994 when Princess Diana was on holiday with her sons in Austria.
Keeping The Tradition Alive
After the tragic death of Princess Diana in 1997, Prince Charles kept up the family tradition of a ski holiday with his sons in Whistler, Canada in 1998.
Hanging Out With Dad
Much as Prince Charles did with his own father back in 1965, Prince William and Prince Harry looked relaxed and at ease on a ski holiday with their dad in Klosters in 2000.
It's Not Always About Skis
Sometimes the royals have a different kind of fun, like Prince Charles and Prince Harry sledding down a snowy hill in Switzerland in 1997.
A New Girl In Town
Kate Middleton was dating Prince William when she joined the royal family on their ski holiday in Klosters in 2005. Oh how far she has come.
Getting Serious On The Slopes
Kate Middleton had been dating Prince William for four years when the couple were photographed on the slopes in 2008 in Switzerland. Three years later they would be married.
Boys & Their Sleds
Prince William and Prince Harry enjoy a little break from skiing when they sled down a mountain in Lech, Austria in 1994.
Snow Babies
Prince William and Kate Middleton took 2-year-old Prince George and baby Princess Charlotte for a family holiday to the French Alps in 2016.
Horses In The Snow
Queen Elizabeth might not be a big fan of skiing like the rest of her family, but she certainly isn't afraid of the cold. In 1979 she was seen going for a New Year's Eve ride on her horse around her Sandringham Estate, and looked happy to be doing it.
A California Girl In The Snow
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seen chatting with royal fans in the snow in February 2019 before withdrawing from their senior royal roles. If they end up going skiing, they won't have to pose for official photos so that's a bonus for them.
The Winter Soldier
He was retired when he visited troops in Norway in 2019, but Prince Harry looked perfectly at home sitting in a makeshift shelter built of snow called a Quincey Shelter.
Paying Respects In The Snow
Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles stood stoic in the snow during a wreath ceremony for fallen soldiers in November 2020.
Two Lovebirds In The Cold
Prince William and Kate Middleton took time out of parenting duties during their 2016 holiday in the French Alps for a playful snowball fight. They are adorable.
A Natural Snow Bunny
Prince William and Prince Harry come by their love of the snow naturally. Their mom is having the time of her life in 1993 in Austria even though it's snowing.
A Light In The Cold
In 2013, Kate Middleton spent some time at the Great Tower Scout camp at Newby Bridge in Cumbria and helped some young Scouts build a fire. Shades of her mother-in-law Princess Diana.
Life In The Snow
Prince Charles was on a ski holiday in 2002 in Switzerland when he learned that his grandmother had died. A sad day, certainly. But at least he and his sons were doing something they loved. Spending time together in the snow.
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