Prince William Admits to Middleton Family’s Competitive Streak: "Ambitious Blood"

October 11, 2024

By M Muzamil Shami

James Middleton has revealed that Prince William often sought "excuses" to skip family game nights with the Middletons, finding them "too competitive." James, who lives in Berkshire with his wife Alizée, shared insights into William’s hesitance to join in the fun, particularly during card games.

James, now 37, was only a teenager when his sister Kate started dating William. The future King was a frequent guest at family dinners, but no Middleton gathering was complete without a round of their favorite card game, Racing Demon—a fast-paced version of Patience or Solitaire. As James recounted, William often seemed eager to find other activities when the game began, suggesting that the Middleton’s competitive spirit was a bit too much.

James shared this light-hearted story during his appearance on the Walking The Dog podcast, hosted by author Emily Dean, where he spoke about the family's love for competition. Dean commented, “The Middletons are quite competitive, aren’t they? You even made William join in, and he found it too intense."

In response, James laughed, saying, "Yes, after family dinners, we'd sit down to play cards, and [William] would find reasons to leave—maybe Ella needed a walk, or something else would suddenly come up."

It’s no surprise that competition runs in the Middleton family. Both Pippa and Kate excelled at sports in their school years, often dominating the field. Kate, now the Princess of Wales, captained the hockey team at Marlborough College in Wiltshire.

Royal fans were reminded of this competitive edge when the family was seen playing cards in a touching video Kate shared after announcing her recovery from chemotherapy, following a challenging battle with cancer.