Prince William recently launched an exciting new initiative – the Active Kids Challenge – with the goal of getting more children swimming in the U.K. To help change that, the Royal Foundation has teamed up with the Tom Dean Swim School to provide. Combined, they will provide lifesaving swim lessons to up to 1,000 kids that can’t otherwise afford to learn this important life-saving skill. This new initiative comes as a response to very disturbing statistics. Read more – Drowning among children in the UK doubles from 2019/20 to 2022/23 and one in three children are unable to swim by the time they leave primary school.
The announcement serves as prime example of Prince William’s deep affinity to the world of sailing. This enthusiasm began while in university at St Andrews, where he was the proud captain of the university’s water polo team. It was his love for both swimming and water polo that led him to make his international debut in 2004. He had the honour of representing the Scottish National Universities team in Cardiff with pride.
In 2007 he was appointed patron for the English Schools’ Swimming Association. Through his work, he zealously advocated for swimming to be treated as an essential life skill. Four years later, he underscored just how important swimming is for his family. He boasted that the royals are a “family of swimmers.”
As Prince William said during the announcement, “I swam and played water polo all the way through my school and university years. I’ve experienced just how valuable and enjoyable these sports can be.
The new partnership with the Tom Dean Swim School aims to provide between 10 and 12 swimming lessons to children across the UK. Tom Dean, an Olympic swimmer and advocate for youth swimming, expressed his commitment to making swimming accessible:
…water safety,” said the Honorable Cassandra Francis, a member of USLA’s Executive Board. Beyond being a critical life skill, swimming cultivates resilience and social bonds. It protects young people when they are in and around water,” he continued.
Prince William has given us a glimpse into his own family’s swimming journey too. Among other nuggets, he shared that his oldest son Prince George loves to scuba dive! “George loves scuba diving. He’s 11 years old. We took him under thinking he would freak out. He absolutely loves it. It’s just introducing him to the world of water,” he said.
In addition to George’s aquatic pursuits, Prince Louis has developed a new obsession that his parents find “everywhere,” further reflecting the family’s enthusiasm for water activities.
The Princess of Wales, Catherine, has helped add to the allure of swimming by supporting the sport in her public life. At a recent state banquet, she showcased cascading mermaid hair while wearing a dress inspired by US President Donald Trump’s taste, demonstrating her commitment to elegance and grace in royal duties.
Eileen Fenton, who received an MBE for her voluntary services to swimming, highlighted the importance of ensuring children can swim safely. She focused on the positive aspect of him and his wife making sure their kids know how to swim. They all dive, and they all swim beautifully. This is a testament to the royal family’s dedication to encouraging swimming skills among young people.
This initiative couldn’t be more timely though, given the alarming statistics about child drownings. It’s no surprise that most kids can’t swim. This collaborative effort seeks to fill that gap and encourage the most effective water safety education possible.
“Over the last year, I’ve been inspired by how much the community has achieved in Birtley, reopening their pool and encouraging so many people to come and swim there,” said Melanie Waters from The Royal Foundation. She noted that this new partnership is certainly a big step in the right direction. It empowers parents, teachers, and kids to adopt swimming as the critical, life-saving skill it is.
