Princess Kate Enjoys "Nerf Battle" With George, Charlotte, and Louis at Gone Wild Festival

Prince Louis was heard shouting, "Nerf or nothing, let's do this!"

Kate Middleton, Prince William, and Prince George take part in archery at the Big Help Out on May 8, 2023.
(Image credit: DANIEL LEAL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Princess Kate seems to be enjoying her summer. Previous reports suggested the Prince and Princess of Wales would be spending some time in Balmoral, Scotland, with their children. But it would seem that Kate and William are also making the most of the summer activities taking place close to their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall.

Last weekend, the princess reportedly attended the Gone Wild Festival, which is held at Holkham Hall in Norfolk. According to The Sun, Kate Middleton was incredibly involved in the outdoor festival, and even took part in a "Nerf battle" with her children. The publication said that onlookers witnessed the Prince and Princess of Wales taking part in "a high-intensity showdown with toy guns and smoke bombs," alongside their three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, Prince Louis was allegedly the most energetic royal in attendance. The outlet even spoke to Norfolk Nerf Parties boss Georgina Barron, who claimed little Louis was shouting "Nerf or nothing, let's do this!" during the event.

Princess Kate and Prince Louis attend the Big Help Out on May 8, 2023.

Louis was reportedly shouting "Nerf or nothing, let's do this!" during the event.

(Image credit: Daniel Leal - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Prince Louis wasn't the only royal family member having fun at the festival, either. According to Barron, Princess Kate "grabbed a Nerf gun, ran around, and played stuck in the mud with her kids." The Nerf Parties owner also noted that the royals were enjoying a "wholesome family day like any other normal family."

Although the Prince and Princess of Wales weren't photographed at the event, they seemed to have a lively day out. Barron recalled her introduction to the royal family, saying, "I was called to the production team's office and told that a very special VIP family had requested to play Nerf wars." She continued, "The Prince and Princess of Wales, along with their three children, arrived with friends and family." Clearly, watching the royals play with Nerf guns was pretty unbelievable, as Barron told The Sun, "I'm still in awe of what a memorable experience we had."

Just last month, a source suggested that Princess Kate isn't fazed when her children exhibit excitement in public. "Kate doesn’t worry about their behavior too much," a source told OK in July. "She loves to see them being kids." The princess' refreshing attitude likely helped the family have a ton of fun at the Gone Wild Festival.

Meanwhile, legendary BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond spoke to The Sun about Princess Kate's recovery from cancer. Back in April, Bond explained that the Princess of Wales was "doing her best to join in the outdoor life."

Amy Mackelden
Contributing Editor

Amy Mackelden is a contributing editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.