THE Prince and Princess of Wales showcased their competitive side as they took to the ice to try curling for the first time this morning.

William watched on from the side, laughing as a beaming Kate gave the sport a go.

She then pumped her fist in the air as her husband clapped at her win.

Kicking off a busy away day, William and Catherine, known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland, visited the National Curling Academy in Stirling.

They wished good luck to Team GB and Paralympics GB Curling teams ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games that start in Milano-Cortina next month.

Kate, 44, also posed for selfies with fans and spoke to children at the National Curling Academy.

The Prince of Wales also took a turn sliding stones towards the target.

The couple spoke to locals at the sports centre afterwards and told children about their curling experience, saying “it’s harder than it looks”.

In curling, players slide stones on a sheet of ice toward a target area that is split into four concentric circles.

Curling traces its roots back to 16th-century Scotland and has since become one of Team GB and Paralympics GB’s most successful winter sports, earning six Olympic medals and two Paralympic medals to date.

And the prince and princess soon learned just how difficult it is to master after being given a short introduction of how to throw the stone.

After doing a few practice lunge motions, Kate told her husband: “You can go first.”

“Are you sure?” He replied. “It won’t make a difference.”

But he confidently took a stone and bent down into position, saying “here we go, let’s see what happens” as he slid off.

Kate then tentatively took to the 45-metre long sheet, holding onto her husband’s right arm as she tentatively stepped onto the ice.

She then pushed off but immediately lost her balance. Laughing, she quickly regained control but in the commotion forgot to let go of the stone.

Keen to correct her mistake, she asked if she could have another go, and was delighted to be told by Nigel Holl, executive performance director from British curling, that they would now be going head to head.

With the help of two sweepers each, the future king and queen were challenged to get closest to the button.

Clarifying how to push off properly, Catherine got into position, clearly determined to do better than her husband.

Having managed to successfully throw the stone, she looked on anxiously as it was swept.

Come on, come on, keep going,” she said as it approached the house.

When it stopped right in the middle, Kate high fived Dodds, who was part of the gold medal winning team at the last Winter Olympics, and celebrated with a fist pump in the air.

Bruce Mouat, skip of the men’s curling team and one half of the mixed doubles, said: “It was wonderful, really nice that they came to wish us good luck for the next month we are about to embark on, both of them were lovely and willing to curl.”

He continued: “They said they would be watching the games, which means a lot to us.”

Sport-loving Kate has often met players and taken part in various activities. over the years.

The royal is always keen to pick up a bat, ball or racket when encouraging the nation to go for gold.

Whether it’s tennis, volleyball or rowing, the princess is always up for taking part.

William and Kate were also welcomed by crowds of well-wishers as they arrived at a working handweaving studio in central Stirling during their visit to Scotland.

The royals visited Radical Weavers, a charity offering the opportunity to learn traditional Scottish tartan-weaving skills.

The pair are due to meet founding director Mairi Breslin as they learn about the rich heritage of Scottish tartan-weaving.

As part of the engagement the couple will be offered the opportunity to weave tartan themselves, including a small piece of Radical Weavers’ latest project to create the world’s longest tartan scarf.

Kate has made a number of visits to British textiles manufacturers.

Last year, she visited manufacturers in Carmarthenshire, Suffolk, Kent and County Tyrone to highlight the rich heritage of the British textile industry.

When visiting a family-run Marina Mill in Cuxton, Kent, last year, the Princess couldn’t stop smiling.

Art-loving Kate got hands on at a silk factory as she helped create a screen print alongside the close knit team.

The royal trip coincides with the second day of Harry’s court battle against Associated Newspapers over alleged misconduct, which is taking place at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.