Royals

Kate Middleton and Prince William Brave the Rain and Race (Each Other!) Through the Bahamian Waves

The competitive Duke and Duchess of Cambridge faced off in a sloop race at the Royal Nassau Sailing Club on Friday

and

Published on March 25, 2022 03:18 PM

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge — Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty

Kate Middleton and Prince William are sailing to the conclusion of their royal trip to the Caribbean.

On a rainy Friday in the Bahamas, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge headed to Montagu Beach for one of the country's first sailing regattas since the start of the pandemic, where the couple cheered on young sailors from the Royal Nassau Sailing Club helming iconic Bahamian sloop boats.

For the outing, Kate stepped out in a crisp white polo shirt with navy blue piping at the lapels and sleeves, which she paired with sporty khaki shorts, a woven brown belt, white sneakers and later a windbreaker. William was also dressed casually in a blue button-down shirt, navy shorts, boating shoes and a baseball cap.

Of course, the royals couldn't help but get in on the action and indulge their competitive streaks as they took part in a husband-and-wife sail-off on separate sloops.

The race involved six boats, with a presentation on shore after for the top three finishers — including the Susan Chase, William's boat!

The future king got a pat on the back from his wife when they both returned to the dock absolutely soaked from the rain but looking invigorated.

Sloop sailing became a beloved Bahamian pastime in the 1960s. As its popularity was on the rise, Prince William's grandfather, Prince Philip, visited the Bahamas in 1959 to watch the King's Cup Series from the Royal Nassau Sailing Club — the very same spot where William, 39, and Kate, 40, were enjoying one of their last afternoons in the Caribbean. (The Duke of Edinburgh was even named an Honorary Commodore and Honorary Life Member of the Club during his trip more than 60 years ago.)

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge take to the sea for one of the first sailing regattas in The Bahamas since the start of the pandemic — Karwai Tang/WireImage

Before the race, the couple checked out a mouthwatering display of freshly caught fish on the shore, with Kate picking up a "wonderful" hog snapper.

Fisherman Gregory John Brown showed off his recent catch including a spinet lobster, yellow fin tuna and Nassau grouper. "I held up this Nassau grouper for them and said I'd caught it in 80'- deep water near the Berry Islands," he told PEOPLE. "They said, 'Wow!'"

The couple browsed the stalls where Brown noted, "The prince seems really down to earth. They're good people. He may lead a different way of life, but he seemed like a whilst Bahamian person — like a real Bahamian. I want them to have a great time here."

Fellow fisherman Gerald Davis was cleaning the catch of red snapper and trigger fish on a table as the couple passed. He told PEOPLE the royals "are awesome and very friendly."

Friday marked William and Kate's first full day in the Bahamas after they spent time in both Belize and Jamaica.

Upon their arrival for the final leg of their week-long Caribbean tour, they received a ceremonial welcome and were then whisked away for a meeting with Bahamas' Prime Minister Philip Davis.

Just as she has done during previous stops on the tour, Kate paid tribute to the colors of her host country's flag in an aquamarine dress by Emilia Wickstead (her second of the day!).

The couple were welcomed by a young local: 8-year-old Aniah Moss presented the couple with a bouquet of flowers at the foot of the Royal Air Force Voyager jet.

During their visit, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will meet with one of William's Earthshot Prize winners, Coral Vita, on Grand Bahama Island and see their ground-breaking ideas for restoring and preserving reefs and see firsthand how people in Abaco coped in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

The royals' visit to the region has made for an intense several days, including protests in both Belize and Jamaica calling for the crown to reckon with the legacy of colonialism by paying reparations and apologizing for the atrocities of slavery inflicted by the British Empire.

Norah Blake, the co-organizer of a protest in Jamaica, explained the motivation for both demands to The Independent: "Today we are setting the conversation of our future generations, for them to have something to build a brighter future."