The first Olympic Summer Games were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. The first Winter Games followed in 1924 in Chamonix, France. A year late the 2020 Olympic Summer Games of Tokyo, Japan, took place in Summer 2021. Over the years the royals haven’t only visited, there have also been quite a few royal and noble Olympians. Even some medals were won, some others did only just miss out. For most however participating was more important than winning, which certainly counts for the royal athlete with most Olympic appearances (six): Prince Hubertus von Hohenlohe.
Royal medallists
These are members of either a (former) royal family, or a mediatized family. Or people who later on became a member of one of these families.
- 1912: Prince Friedrich Carl of Prussia (Germany) – Equestrian (jumping) – bronze medal with his team
- 1912: Rudolf Graf von Schaesberg-Tannheim (Germany) – Equestrian – silver medal with his team
- 1928: Crown Prince Olav of Norway (Norway) – Sailing (6 meter) – gold medal with his team
- 1960: Crown Prince Constantine of Greece (Greece) – Sailing (Dragon) – gold medal with his team
- 1972, 1988: Mark Phillips (UK) – Equestrian (eventing) – gold medal with his team in 1972, silver medal with his team in 1988
- 1992, 1996, 2000: Inaki Urdangarin (Spain) – Handball – bronze medal with his team in 1996 and 2000
- 2004, 2008: Sheikh Ahmad al-Maktoum of Dubai (UAE) – Shooting (men’s trap) – gold medal in 2004
- 2008, 2012: Princess Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (Denmark) – Equestrian (dressage) – bronze medal with her team in 2008
- 2008, 2012: Prince Abdullah Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia (Saudi Arabia) – Equestrian (jumping) – bronze medal with his team in 2012
- 2012: Zara Phillips (UK) – Equestrian (eventing) – silver medal with her team
Royals participating
- 1912: Prince Ernst zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (Austria) – Fencing
- 1912: Grand Duke Dimitri of Russia (Russia) – Equestrian
- 1936: Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden (Sweden) – Equestrian
- 1948: Prince Konstantin von und zu Liechtenstein (Liechtenstein) – Skiing
- 1956: Prince Max von Hohenlohe (Liechtenstein) – Skiing
- 1956, 1960, 1964, 1972: Prince Birabongse “Bira” Bhanubandh of Thailand (Thailand) – Sailing
- 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1980: Karni Singh Bahadur, Maharaja of Bikaner (India) – Shooting (skeet and trap)
- 1964: Princess Arunee Bhanubandh of Thailand (Thailand) – Sailing
- 1964, 1968, 1972: Crown Prince Harald of Norway (Norway) – Sailing
- 1964: Prince Karim Aga Khan (Iran) – Skiing
- 1972: Prince Juan Carlos of Spain (Spain) – Sailing
- 1976: Anne, Princess Royal (UK) – Equestrian
- 1984, 1988, 1992, 1994, 2010, 2014: Prince Hubertus von Hohenlohe (Mexico) – Skiing. Already in 2010 he was the oldest athlete at the games, he is also one of the few tens of athletes who competed in six games
- 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002: Prince Albert von Monaco (Monaco) – Bobsleighing
- 1988: Infanta Cristina of Spain (Spain) – Sailing
- 1992: Felipe Prince of Asturias (Spain) – Sailing
- 1996, 2000: Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam (Brunei) – Shooting (skeet)
- 2000: Princess Haya of Jordan (Jordan) – Equestrian
- 2000: Charlene Wittstock (South Africa) – Swimming
- 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016: Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum of Dubai (UAE) – Shooting (skeet)
- 2008, 2012: Prince Faisal al-Shalan (Saudi Arabia) – Equestrian (jumping)
- 2008: Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammad bin Rashid Al-Maktoum of Dubai (UAE) – Taekwondo
- 2008: Sheikha Latifah al Maktoum of Dubai (UAE) – Equestrian (jumping)
- 2012: Sheikh Juma Al Maktoum of Dubai (UAE) – Shooting (men’s trap)
- 2016: Sheikh Ali Al Thani of Qatar (Qatar) – Equestrian (jumping)
Nearly participating
- 1960: Princess Sofia of Greece (Greece) – Sailing, reserve only
- 1972: Prince Michael of Kent (UK) – Bobsleighing – reserve only
Noble medallists
Over the years there were many noble participants, but these ones actually managed to win a medal (there might be more).
- 1900: Count Jean de Madre (France) – Polo – silver medal with his team
- 1912: Count Erich von Bernstorff-Gyldensteen (Germany) – Shooting (clay pigeons, trap) – bronze medal with his clay pigeons team
- 1928: William von Wirén (Estonia) – Sailing – bronze medal
- 1928: Freiherr Carl Friedrich von Langen-Parow (Germany) – Equestrian (dressage) – two gold medals
- 2008, 2012: Jonkvrouw Roline Repelaer van Driel (The Netherlands) – Rowing (Women’s eight) – silver medal in 2008, bronze medal in 2012
- 2012: William Fox-Pitt (UK) – Equestrian (eventing) – silver medal with his team
- 2012, 2016: Casper von Folsach (Denmark) – Cycling (Men’s Team Pursuit) – bronze medal in 2016
- 2016: Jonkheer Boudewijn Röell (The Netherlands) – Rowing (Men’s Eight) – bronze medal
- 2021: Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (Germany) – Equestrian (dressage) – gold medal, individual and with the team
- 2021: Henrik von Eckermann (Sweden) – Equestrian (jumping) – gold medal with the team