When you think of monarchs, you probably picture gilded thrones, grand ceremonies, and endless state business. Yet, behind the regal façade, many kings pursued hobbies that would raise eyebrows even today. In this roundup of 10 kings weird pursuits, we explore how these sovereigns slipped into surprising pastimes while juggling the weight of empire.
10 Edward II—Digging
Edward II may rank among England’s most reviled monarchs, yet early in his reign he enjoyed genuine popularity. Described as tall, muscular, and sporting long brown hair, he could command Parliament with charisma when he chose. Medieval expectations, however, demanded that a king indulge in arts, feasting, and politics. Edward bucked this trend, favoring practical pursuits: swimming, sailing, fishing, architecture, and—most notably—digging ditches. Contemporary chroniclers noted his habit of abandoning political duties to join peasants on the River Thames or to supervise house construction. On a scorching summer day, he even leapt into a ditch beside laborers to help them dig, impressing the workers while scandalizing courtiers who saw such humility as unbecoming of a king.
His two‑decade reign was riddled with conflict against both his court and Parliament, with barons repeatedly curbing his authority. Ultimately, Edward reclaimed power through civil war, ruling with an iron fist until a coalition of his wife and a knight invaded, toppling his regime.
9 Abdulhamid II—Woodworking
The Ottoman Empire’s final absolute ruler, Abdulhamid II, left a controversial legacy. Early in his reign he championed progressive reforms, yet later he dissolved parliament, reinstated conservatism, and oversaw brutal repression, including the Armenian massacres. A lesser‑known facet of his personality emerges from his daughter’s memoirs: plagued by insomnia, he preferred being read to at night. To combat sleeplessness, he shunned provocative books, fearing they would keep his mind active. Instead, he turned to carpentry, crafting furniture for his private chambers as a therapeutic outlet.
Beyond woodworking, Abdulhamid was an avid reader of detective fiction. Though the first Turkish translations of Sherlock Holmes appeared in 1908, the sultan had already secured earlier translations via a court scribe, amassing a sizable collection. When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle visited Turkey, Abdulhamid honored him with the Order of the Medjidie, acknowledging his literary contributions.
8 Friedrich Wilhelm I—Tall Soldiers
Prussia’s famed “Soldier King,” Friedrich Wilhelm I, was a master administrator who fortified the state’s finances and bureaucracy, leaving a legacy of stability and wealth. Yet his private obsession was the creation of the “Potsdam Giants,” an elite corps composed solely of extraordinarily tall men. These giants received premium uniforms, superior lodgings, and salaries scaled to their height, with the tallest earning the most. Friedrich went so far as to kidnap unusually tall individuals and press‑gang them into service, while foreign diplomats sometimes sent towering envoys as diplomatic gifts.
His fixation grew to the point where, during bouts of melancholy, he would have the giants parade before him—occasionally even in his bedroom when he was ill. He painted vivid portraits of these soldiers from memory and later experimented with breeding strategies, pairing tall men with tall women, and even employing stretching racks to increase stature.
7 Olaf Tryggvason—Juggling Knives
Viking society prized martial prowess, and its kings were expected to excel in athletics. Olaf Tryggvason, a legendary Viking ruler, embodied this ideal with a suite of daring hobbies. He was an accomplished rock climber, famously scaling the Smalsarhorn and planting his shield atop the summit. When a follower became stranded mid‑ascent, Olaf rescued him single‑handedly, hoisting the man back to safety with one arm.
Olaf also mastered “walking the oars,” a feat of balance performed aboard a moving ship. His most eye‑catching talent, however, was his ability to juggle three knives, keeping one perpetually airborne while catching each by the hilt. This dexterity translated to battlefield advantage, allowing him to wield weapons in both hands and hurl two spears simultaneously.
6 Louis XVI—Locksmithing
Louis XVI, remembered as the last French monarch before the Revolution and the sole king to be beheaded, is often caricatured as an aloof aristocrat. In reality, he was a gentle, well‑read man with a keen interest in engineering and the mechanical arts. He contributed to naval reforms and, unlike many of his contemporaries, never took a mistress. He also showed concern for the French poor, even lifting restrictions on bread prices to make food more affordable.
Behind the palace doors, however, Louis pursued a surprising pastime: locksmithing. Fascinated by locks of every complexity, he surrounded himself with both simple mechanisms and intricate, secretive devices. Believing that every gentleman should master a manual craft, he secretly received instruction from the court blacksmith. He installed a private workshop above his library, complete with anvils, where he honed his skill. When word of his hobby leaked, the press mocked him, viewing the married king’s fascination with locks as scandalous.
5 Henry VII—Tennis
Henry VII is often remembered as a dour, serious monarch who reshaped England’s finances and trade, earning admiration from modern politicians like George Osborne. Rarely smiling, he devoted long hours to paperwork, ensuring the kingdom’s prosperity after seizing it by sword. Fluent in several languages and a skilled writer, he valued justice above all.
Despite his stern reputation, Henry shared a love of tennis with his son, Henry VIII. While tennis had been introduced to England by Henry V, it remained a niche pastime during Henry VII’s reign. Undeterred, he commissioned six tennis courts across the realm, including one at Westminster. His enthusiasm helped popularize the sport among the nobility, and even after his playing days waned, he continued to watch matches and place bets, losing £20 between 1493 and 1499—a sum exceeding the lifetime earnings of many commoners.
4 George III—Agriculture
George III, often labeled “Mad King George,” ruled Great Britain for over fifty years. Though his later years were marred by mental illness, he was largely a sane and effective monarch. He possessed an extensive collection of scientific instruments, many of which survive in museums, and he funded the construction of the era’s largest telescope. Contrary to the popular myth of a tyrant, his involvement in the American Revolution stemmed from a desire to protect Parliament’s right to levy taxes, not personal ambition.
Before his mental decline, George earned the affectionate nickname “Farmer George.” He was deeply invested in agriculture, authoring papers, annotating books, and corresponding regularly with farmers nationwide. His enthusiasm coincided with the Agricultural Revolution, boosting rural populations and setting the stage for the Industrial Revolution.
3 George V—Stamps
Modern British royalty is known for relatively ordinary hobbies: bingo, mystery novels, and equestrian pursuits. George V, however, cultivated a passion that set him apart—stamp collecting. Beginning as a young prince, he continued his philatelic pursuits throughout his reign, even amidst the turmoil of World War I. His collection eventually comprised 328 albums, each containing 60 pages—nearly 20,000 pages of stamps.
This dedication earned him the moniker “The King of Philately.” He served as vice‑president of the Royal Philatelic Society of London from 1893 onward. In 1905, while still a prince, he set a record by spending £1,450 (approximately $220,000 today) on a single stamp, proudly acknowledging his extravagance when a courtier remarked on the purchase.
2 Farouk—Collecting Everything
King Farouk, Egypt’s final monarch, epitomized excess. He indulged in lavish feasting, high‑octane car racing—painting his Cadillacs red so police would know not to stop him—and kept palace lights blazing during wartime blackouts. His reign was riddled with corruption, while his people suffered poverty. The army eventually ousted him in 1952, prompting a massive effort to inventory his possessions.
Farouk’s hoarding knew no bounds. He amassed thousands of silk shirts, an entire fleet of Cadillacs, and fifty diamond‑encrusted golden walking sticks. His taste for French Baroque furniture earned him the nickname “Louis‑Farouk.” His coin collection, boasting over 8,500 pieces—including the 1933 $20 gold double eagle and all five known 1913 Liberty Head nickels—was among the world’s most valuable.
Perhaps most shocking was his pornography trove: hundreds of thousands of semi‑nude photographs discovered beneath his pillow. When confronted, Farouk dismissed the accusations, insisting the images were classical art.
1 Edward VIII—Flying
Edward VIII’s brief, uncrowned reign is infamous for his abdication over a marriage to Wallis Simpson, a twice‑divorced American. His tenure was also marred by rumors of Nazi sympathies and a general disdain for governmental protocol. Yet, beyond the political drama, Edward harbored a fervent love of aviation. He became the first royal to fly himself to a public engagement and secured a pilot’s license, despite his father George V’s attempts to forbid him from taking to the skies.
Edward’s reckless approach to flying culminated in a daring plan to flee Britain by airplane, even reserving a hotel abroad. British intelligence intervened just before the aircraft could take off, forcing his abdication before he could escape.
These ten monarchs prove that behind the crown and coronet, kings often pursued passions that were anything but regal. From digging ditches to soaring above the clouds, their odd hobbies remind us that even the most powerful humans have quirky sides.