Prince William brought a burst of royal fun to the Hastings seafront as he tried his hand at crazy golf – and walked away with a score good enough to top a celebrity leaderboard.
The Prince of Wales soared to the top of a celebrity leaderboard at a Hastings seafront crazy golf course, after taking on the famous windmill hole
The Prince of Wales visited Hastings Adventure Golf as part of a wider day of engagements focused on the town’s fishing community, young people and local organisations. But it was his turn on the mini-golf course that quickly became one of the most light-hearted royal moments of the week.
William, who said he has played mini golf with his family before, took on five holes at the famous seafront course, including the much-loved windmill hole. The challenge involves sending the ball through moving sails and into the hole, and the Prince managed it in three shots after getting through the windmill on his second attempt.
Prince William in a wooden net shop in the Old Town
William played crazy golf with young people supported by the local youth charity XTrax
The Hastings Adventure Golfo course was home to the 2026 World Crazy Golf Championships in June, with competitors from around the world all vying for the sport’s largest prize fund
Prince William also met school children on the beach during his visit to Hastings, East Sussex, to highlight the town’s fishing community and the vital work of local youth-led and community-driven organisations
The Prince of Wales with young people and volunteers at the Common Room at Eagle House, which functions as a ‘public living room’ and youth club
Although he did not land a hole-in-one, his performance impressed the experienced players around him. After he left, the mini golfers calculated what his score might have been over the usual 18 holes and estimated a conservative 35. That was enough to place him ahead of several famous faces on the celebrity leaderboard, including comedian Tim Vine, comedian Henning Wehn, magician John Archer and presenter Fern Britton.
William was introduced to the course by expert mini golfers David and Marion Hartley, both leading players, and Murray Thompson, who came second in last year’s World Mini Golf Championships. The Prince joked with Thompson after watching him repeatedly land hole-in-ones, teasing: “Stop it Murray,” before adding, “Oh my Lord, Murray!”
The future King also revealed that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are already fans of the game, saying the family had played a few times and that “the children love it”. In another playful moment, he joked that next time he would play with a group of eight-year-olds so he might have more of a chance.
William talking to fisherman Steve Gurka in the Old Town, during his visit to Hastings
He also made the time to greet well-wishers during his trip
Prince William aboard a fishing boat
The visit was not just about sport. William also spent time with teenagers supported by XTrax, a Hastings youth charity that offers disadvantaged young people a safe and welcoming space. He played two further holes with the group and then spoke quietly with them about their lives, hopes and job searches. Before leaving, he promised to make sure their opinions were heard and respected, adding with a laugh that they should remember to put on suncream.
Crowds gathered as word spread that the Prince was on the seafront, and William stopped to shake hands with well-wishers. One young child dressed as a pirate after a playgroup “Pirate Day” was among those who met him, creating another sweet moment during the visit.
Earlier in the day, William highlighted Hastings’ proud maritime heritage. He rode the East Hill funicular railway, visited historic Net Shops used to store fishing nets, and climbed aboard a fishing vessel to hear directly from local fishermen about their work.
He was also made an honorary member of The Winkle Club, a charitable organisation founded by fishermen in 1900 to support local families and community causes. Presented with a silver winkle, William admired the gift and joked that he would take good care of it.
The Prince also fielded a football question during the visit, telling a school group he was feeling “confident” about England’s upcoming World Cup clash with Norway.
From crazy golf and seaside crowds to fishing history and youth support, William’s Hastings trip mixed royal duty with relaxed charm – and gave fans a rare glimpse of the future King enjoying a very British day out.
