The Duke of Cambridge was hosting investitures at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday when he was surprised with a gift for his daughter Princess Charlotte. Gold-winning netball champion Geva Mentor brought along the present, a netball, for the young royal as she was made a CBE for services to the sport. She told the Press Association: "I mentioned that I had a netball for little Charlotte, I think it's so important that kids know what netball is and grow up with it."
WATCH: The next royal generation
Geva, a former England captain, helped the national team secure bronze in the 2019 Netball World Cup and with her teammates won a Commonwealth gold last year.
READ: Princess Charlotte is identical to cousin Lady Kitty Spencer in new unseen photo
William presents Geva Mentor with her award
Princess Charlotte could take after her mother the Duchess of Cambridge, who excelled at sport, while she was at school. While Kate was a pupil at St Andrew's School in Pangbourne, she was on the hockey, swimming and netball teams – where she played goal defence.
The four-year-old is said to have already inherited her mother's sporting prowess and is said to be a natural at tennis. A source confirmed to HELLO! earlier this year that Charlotte and her big brother George have regular tennis lessons at Hurlingham Club in Fulham, south-west London.
Watch video: Prince George's cutest moments
Kate playing volleyball in 2013
Charlotte started at Thomas's school in Battersea in September, where physical education is an important part of the curriculum. In Reception, children develop their co-ordination, control and movement through specialist-taught gym, games and ballet. As pupils move up through the school, according to the website, netball is played during the first term of the academic year and there are opportunities for girls to enjoy fixtures against other schools as well as interhouse tournaments.
Her uncle Prince Harry and aunt Meghan enjoyed a netball shootout at Loughborough University in September 2018, as they attended the Coach Core Awards Ceremony.
Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity, royal and lifestyle news delivered directly to your inbox.