The Prince and Princess of Wales made an unannounced appearance at an upmarket restaurant in the French Alps last year, delighting unsuspecting diners with their polite and relaxed presence.
In January 2025, William and Kate were spotted at an elegant mountainside restaurant while enjoying a break at the prestigious Courchevel ski resort in the Tarentaise Valley. Other guests captured images as the royal pair departed.
Staff Praise Royal Couple
A staff member told The Mail's Harriet Kean: "They had a very nice time and were very polite." Harriet also remarked that the future king and his wife looked "immaculate" dressed in their ski attire.
"It was lovely to see Kate relaxing and enjoying herself," the staff member at a mountaintop restaurant added. "They looked like a normal English family, and a lot of people didn't recognise them. It was not the first time we had seen them. They have been coming here for years. I think they love the area. We often see Kate's sister Pippa as well."
Diners Impressed by the Wales Family
The visit clearly left a lasting impression on one particular diner, who said: "I couldn't believe I was having lunch in the same restaurant as Kate and William. They looked adorable in their beanie hats."
Another onlooker said: "Everyone seemed to be really happy… There were no airs and graces and actually they seemed like any normal family enjoying a ski break."
Courchevel, often referred to as the "Saint Tropez of the slopes" and the "ski capital of the world", regularly draws A-list stars, having previously welcomed the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, the Beckhams, and Elton John.
A Long History of Skiing
This wouldn't mark the first occasion the Wales' have ventured to the French Alps, having reportedly made their inaugural trip in 2016, joined by their children. Kate and William went on several skiing trips together when they were dating after first being spotted holidaying as a couple in Switzerland in 2004. Two years later, they kissed publicly for the first time on the slopes.
In 2012, William whisked Kate away on a romantic break to a luxury chalet in Verbier after they spent six weeks apart when he was flying an RAF helicopter in the Falklands. At the time, a source told The Mirror: "William missed Kate terribly when he was away. They spent Valentine’s Day apart and he has been thinking for some time how to make it up to his wife."
"They’ve had some brilliant times skiing, and William decided a getaway in Switzerland, where they can wear goggles and hats and go around unnoticed, would be perfect."
William has been skiing since he was little, with the late Princess Diana regularly taking her boys on trips when they were kids. They were often joined by Sarah Ferguson, as well as Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie for big royal trips.
