All eyes were on the leather-clad rider as he roared up to Cowarth Park club in Ascot, Berkshire, atop a revving black motorbike. It wasn't until he removed his crash helmet that many spectators realised the mystery man was in fact Prince William.The 27-year-old royal looked more king of the road than future king as he arrived on his powerful Ducati motorbike to play in a charity polo match with his younger brother Prince Harry.There was a clue to his identity, however, in his patriotic knee sliders – which bore the design of the Cross of St George. The reinforced pads are used to protect bikers' knees if they touch the ground when cornering at high speed.Wills is a keen and accomplished biker who has been riding off road since he was eight. Last year he put his skills to use for a good cause, joining Harry on a motorcycle trek across South Africa to raise funds for his brother's charity Sentebale.He often takes his £15,000 bike - which is considered the ultimate high performance two-wheel vehicle and can reach top speeds of 180mph - out for a spin at weekends, mainly around his father's Highgrove estate and the country roads of Gloucestershire."I don't know what it is about bikes, but I've always had a passion for motorbikes ever since I was very small. I used to do a lot of go-karting when I was younger and then after that I went on to quadbikes and eventually motorbikes," he once said."It does help being anonymous with my motorcycle helmet on because it does enable me to relax," he continued. "But I just enjoy everything about motorbikes and the camaraderie that comes with it."
