Looking to catch a glimpse of Kate or Meghan Markle on the slopes? These are the exclusive and luxurious preferred ski resorts of the British royal family. Be sure to bring a full wallet if you're planning your ski holidays here this year!
Klosters is a firm favourite with the Royal Family, all old money and understated refinement in contrast with its flashy neighbour, Davos. Prince Charles and Princess Diana took their sons on regular ski trips here during their younger years, and it was following a ski trip to Klosters that the world learned that Prince William was dating Kate Middleton back in 2004. The next year, Prince Charles took Prince William and Prince Harry skiing at this luxurious Swiss ski resort as a pre-wedding trip before his marriage to the Duchess of Cornwall. The Prince of Wales is such a loyal fan of Klosters that the resort has named two cable cars after him. Klosters is less than a 2-hour drive from Zurich Airport so if your private jet isn't available, it's still easy to hop over on a budget flight.
Princess Diana chose Lech am Arlberg for Prince William and Harry's first-ever ski holiday in 1991, a heavily photographed affair that led to skiing being a lifetime hobby for the two boys. This posh ski resort in the Austrian Alps is also popular with the Dutch royal family, who have reportedly skied here annually since the 1940s. Lech is an environmentally friendly ski resort and excellent for intermediate skiers and boarders, often attracting day trippers from neighbouring St. Anton am Arlberg who are intimidated by the challenging terrain there.
Prince Andrew has a chalet in Verbier and regularly visited with his daughters, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice. Princess Eugenie holds Verbier especially dear as it was here that she met her future husband, Jack Brooksbank, back in 2010. In 2017, Prince William made headlines when he busted out some dance moves on a lads' night in this swank ski resort. Verbier is also popular with the Danish royal family, and Prince Harry has been known to make an appearance as well. The Swiss ski resort is located just a short drive from Geneva Airport.
St. Moritz is the ski resort of choice for the Earl and Countess of Wessex, who often visit with their children. The glitzy resort in the Swiss Alps is also popular with the Dutch, Monaco and Swedish royal families. St. Moritz is known for its exclusivity, with members-only clubs and strict dress codes in many of the establishments. Skiing goes way back in St. Moritz - in fact, the Swiss resort is credited with being the birthplace of winter sports after a local hotelier convinced his British guests to stay the winter back in 1864. Since then, apart from royals, St. Moritz has attracted plenty of A-list celebrities including Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot and Alfred Hitchcock.
While Prince William was getting his groove on in Verbier, Kate was celebrating her little sister's hen do over in Méribel. Pippa Middleton is an avid skier and the Middletons paid for a private jet and exclusive catered chalet with maids and a private chef. It's fitting that Méribel should be popular with the British royal family, as it was actually founded by a Scotsman. Along with Courchevel, this elegant ski resort in the enormous Les Trois Vallées linked ski area is poised to host the 2023 FIS Alpine Ski World Championships and has invested €15 million in upgrades to the resort. With access to over 600km of slopes in Les Trois Vallées plus one of the most famous après-ski bars in France, it's a logical choice for royals and non-royals alike.
Prince William and Princess Kate hit the slopes at Courchevel, also in Les Trois Vallées, for their very first family ski holiday with Prince George and Princess Charlotte in 2016. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were pictured in a series of adorable photographs, posing in the snow and having a snowball fight. William and Kate both love skiing and it's a fairly sure bet their children will grow up to be avid skiers as well. Glamorous Courchevel is also popular with the Saudi and Morocco royal families, and the see-and-be-seen resort in the French Alps attracts the rich and famous from all over Europe and Russia.
Which ski resorts have you been to? Have you ever run across a member of the British Royal Family?
Born and raised in the ski paradise of Vancouver, Canada, I learned to ski before I can remember, balancing precariously on my parents’ skis as they sailed down the hill. I started snowboarding in my teens and am now delighted to be exploring everything Europe’s ski scene has to offer!
