January will have many of us making resolutions for the year to come and you will be hard-pressed to find someone who isn't saying they will prioritise fitness in the New Year. It's no secret that many of the royal ladies, both in the UK (think the Princess of Wales and Duchess Sophie) and in Europe (Queen Mary of Denmark, for example), have a passion for sports – and a wardrobe of stylish activewear.
It's standard for royal ladies to wear smart dresses and stilettos for summer engagements and tailored outerwear with classic heeled boots in the winter, but they have been known, on occasion, to swap all of that for something more practical to flex their athletic sides.
To see the royal style set in the most stylish of sporty looks, keep scrolling…
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© GettyPrincess of Wales
In September 2021, the Princess of Wales joined Prince William for a tour of the City of Derry Rugby Club in Northern Ireland. As she got stuck into the action, Kate donned a Lululemon zip-up jacket (how very It-girl of her) and teamed it with fitted sports trousers and black New Balance trainers. Adding her signature touch of elegance, Kate wore her hair in a swishy ponytail.
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© GettyPrincess Diana
Princess Diana was somewhat of a trailblazer when it came to royal ladies wearing activewear in public. Shorts and oversized sweats became her uniform in the mid 1990s, and her look is still super wearable in 2025.
On 24 August 1994, the late mother of Princes William and Harry was seen wearing a pale blue sweatshirt, pink cycling shorts, and tortoiseshell sunglasses as she left Harbour Club Chelsea, a luxury health club, in London.
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© GettyMeghan Markle
Meghan Markle is known for her quietly elegant sense of style, but that doesn't mean that she doesn't sometimes swap her kitten heels for something comfier. She did just that in 2019 during her pregnancy with Prince Archie, stepping out in New York City, having flown back incognito to her native America during her time living at Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace to watch her friend Serena Williams play in the U.S. Open.
The As Ever lifestyle brand owner teamed slinky navy leggings, the 'Align Tights' by Lululemon, with Adidas 'Ultraboost' trainers, and an Ingrid & Isabel maternity hoodie.
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© GettyQueen Mary
In October 2019, Queen Mary put her sporty foot forward as she prepared to run in a marathon ahead of the Youth Innovation Summit in the Moroccan capital of Rabat, which brings together young leaders to tackle barriers like unemployment and empowerment.
The wife of King Frederik paired navy Nike leggings with blue and yellow Asics trainers and added a pop of colour with a coral top.
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© GettyDuchess Sophie
The Duchess of Edinburgh has been known to take on a number of cycling challenges, including in 2016 when she embarked upon her Diamond Challenge, cycling 445 miles from the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, to Buckingham Palace, London, over seven days to mark the 60th anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
She wore a zip-up jacket by the cycling brand Boardman, paired with cycling shorts and Asics socks.
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© GettyPrincess Beatrice
In May 2017, Princess Beatrice traded her stilettos for trainers as she was spotted, acing the Lady Garden 5K and 10K run in Hyde Park. She teamed a coral running top with three-quarter-length leggings and grey running trainers.
She was seen with the actress Mika Simmons and Cara Delevingne's sister Chloe, who co-founded the Lady Garden Foundation, which raises awareness of gynaecological cancer.
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© GettyPrincess Charlene
It's no secret that Princess Charlene is sporty, given she first rose to prominence as an Olympic swimmer. Of her healthy lifestyle, Prince Albert's wife told Women's Health in 2023: "There isn't really consistency – my days are never the same, and you can’t really choose what you get to eat at events... I try to eat a lot of fish, fresh fruit, and vegetables. And I drink a lot of water – it's important to stay hydrated."
However, in 2018, Charlene turned her hand to cycling as she joined her husband for the Riviera Water Bike Challenge in Monaco. She rocked black leggings with grey Nike trainers and a waterproof jacket bearing the logo of her charity, the Princess Charlene Foundation, which raises awareness for the value of sport in children's education.
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© GettyZara Tindall
Princess Charlene isn't the only royal lady to make it to the Olympics. Princess Anne's daughter, Zara Tindall, bagged a silver medal in the British eventing team at the 2012 London Olympics and is a regular at the Magic Millions equestrian carnival held in Australia every January.
"We have been coming to Queensland for so long now it has become a tradition for the start of the year - and although the Magic Millions carnival is busy with so much going on, being by the beach, with like-minded horse enthusiasts celebrating all things equine – we couldn't ask for a better way to start the year," Zara exclusively told us following the 2024 event.
Activewear for Zara is less about running shoes and more about jodhpurs and riding boots, as she was seen wearing in 2024 while taking part in the Magic Millions Barrier Draw on the Gold Coast.
