Duke of Sussex takes Prince Archie surfing in California
The Duke of Sussex is thought to be teaching his son, Prince Archie, how to surf.
Footage of the Duke, 40, wearing a black wetsuit and posing with the five-year-old at a California surf school was published on social media.
The pair were joined by professional surfer Raimana Van Bastolaer and his own son.
Not for the first time, the Duke was also filmed expertly navigating an impressive wave.
The footage is believed to have been taken at a “surf ranch” in Lemoore, California, owned by surfing star Kelly Slater. Van Bastolaer captioned his clip: “Don’t hate but be happy & keep smiling. Brother HARRY, Let’s go for 2025!”
He later removed the images from the social media site.
Stepping back
Since stepping back from official public duties, the Duke and Duchess have largely tried to maintain their children’s privacy, with very few images of Archie’s face emerging into the public domain.
The couple’s “Happy Holidays” card released last month featured a rare image of Prince Archie and his sister, Princess Lilibet, three, from behind.
The Princess, last pictured as a baby, was shown running into the Duke’s open arms, long red hair flowing behind her. Her brother, who also boasts red hair, was alongside her, running into the arms of Meghan with the family’s three dogs at their feet.
The Duke is understood to have become good friends with Van Bastolaer, who has previously posted footage of him learning to surf.
‘Immersive surf lifestyle’
In a recap of the year published on Instagram, the professional surfer included multiple images of the two of them together, including one in which they were both wearing pink lanyards and another showing them beaming as they posed for the camera.
The surf ranch, featuring a barrelling six-foot artificial wave that lasts for up to 2,300 feet is said to be the first of its kind.
It is the only one to hold World Surf League accreditation, meaning it is fit to stage elite-level competitions. The ranch promises to offer an “immersive surf lifestyle experience in the middle of farm fields in central California”, 100 miles from the coast.
Four years ago, after it was claimed that the Duchess had bought her husband surfing lessons for his 36th birthday, shortly after they had moved to the US and bought their home in Montecito.
In 2012, the Duke of Sussex and the Prince of Wales were pictured bodyboarding on a beach in Cornwall.
