Princess Kate was once told she had "married into the wrong family" after admitting she was not particularly interested in horses, according to veteran royal broadcaster Simon Vigar. The Channel 5 royal correspondent revealed the remark was made during the early years of her relationship with Prince William.
Vigar's new book, The Four Wives of Windsor: The Inside Story of the Power Behind the Crown, discusses how Queen Camilla's lifelong love of horses helped her fit seamlessly into the Royal Family, while other women who married into the House of Windsor struggled to embrace one of its biggest passions.
The Remark at a Polo Match
Speaking to GB News, Vigar said the exchange took place at a polo match. "I forgot to put this anecdote in, but early on somebody at a polo match found Catherine all on her own in a marquee somewhere, or hiding around the back, and she said that she wasn't that into horses," he said. According to Vigar, the person replied: "Boy, are you marrying into the wrong family?"
He said the exchange took place after university, in the early 2000s or mid-noughties.
Camilla's Advantage
In his book, Vigar writes: "Camilla is keener on horses, which is an advantage when hanging out with the Windsors." He expanded on this, saying that the Princess of Wales, the Duchess of Sussex and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, never shared the family's enthusiasm for equestrian pursuits.
"[Meghan and Catherine] have married into the wrong family," he told GB News. "I don't think Diana was into horses that much, and I'm pretty sure Meghan isn't. So yeah, Camilla's the only one who got that right!"
The Royal Family's Equestrian Passion
The late Queen Elizabeth II was famously devoted to horses, having begun riding at the age of two before becoming one of Britain's most respected racehorse breeders. Princess Anne also represented Great Britain in the equestrian event at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, while King Charles has long shared the family's love of the sport.
Vigar also recalled the late Duke of Edinburgh's typically dry sense of humour about the family's obsession with horses. Prince Philip once joked about Princess Anne's passion for equestrianism, saying in 1970: "If it doesn't fart or eat hay, she isn't interested."
While the Princess of Wales regularly attends major equestrian events as part of her royal duties, she is not known to be an active rider.
