Kate Middleton and Prince William have fun trying out new chairs in Sweden as they reveal they have Ikea furniture for Prince George and Princess Charlotte

THE Duke of Cambridge looked to be testing out a new throne when he visited Sweden's national centre for architecture and design with wife Kate.

The pair admitted that IKEA furniture can be found in their children's rooms at Kensington Palace, during a two-day visit to Stockholm.

Earlier hockey fan Kate lost to hubby Prince William during a tour of Sweden today - in the latest bout of the couple's sporting rivalry.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge donned bobble hats in freezing temperatures and had a crack at local favourite bandy hockey - played on ice with a ball instead of a puck.

When the couple later visited ArkDes, Sweden's national centre for architecture and design in Stockholm, Ikea's head of design Marcus Engman said they told him the flatpack furniture was in Prince George and Princess Charlotte's rooms.

He said the duke and duchess were very interested in both home furnishings and how the design process works at Ikea: "They also revealed that they have Ikea pieces for the children's rooms."

Mr Engman said: "I'm proud that we can suit everybody. That's what we want Ikea to be - for the many people of the world, both royalty and ordinary people."

He added they began by offering their condolences on the death of the firm's founder Ingvar Kamprad who died at the weekend aged 91.

During their tour of ArkDes, the duke tried out a rocking stool designed by Hemmo Honkonen, 29, which makes a musical whistle when it moves back and forth, part of a project to combine his twin interests of furniture and musical instruments.

As William went to sit down the duchess, who had changed into a coat and dress by Catherine Walker, said "Don't break it".

The duke gave his opinion saying: "It's a great idea, with percussion you could have a whole orchestra in someone's house."

Kate was an accomplished hockey player at St Andrews Prep School in Pangbourne, Berks, but must have been a little rusty as she lost 2-1.

Both royals missed their first shot - but Will quickly warmed up smashing in his next two.

The sport started in Cambridge - where the Duke and Duchess take their names - and is played with 11 players.

Pregnant Kate wrapped up in a coat by Burberry and a sweater by Swedish designer Fjallraven.

The soon to be mum-of-three scored one but pulled her final strike wide.

The royal couple quaffed an alcohol free gluhwein, normally called Glogg, from a special flask before walking out onto the pitch in a red carpet laid out just for them.

They did not wear ice skates for the game, at a central Stockholm park - with Kate instead wearing Sorel snowboots.

International bandy player Anna Widing, 29, said: “Kate had played field hockey and I was expecting her to be good — and she was very good.

"She knew how to hold the stick and she had a very good swing. I was impressed.

“I could see that maybe they like to beat each other.

“Also they were pushing each other to do well.”

The half-back, who scored the winner for Sweden world championship, added: “It was a privilege for us to show our sport to them.

"We have been to China to show the sport and to come back here and show it to the royals from Britain is an honour.”

Will and Kate had just enough time to see the kids after school and nursery on Monday evening before jetting out to Sweden on a private charter plane that night.

The proud parents, who have left George and Charlotte at home for four nights and are staying with the British ambassador in the country's capital.

Will, 35, and Kate, 36, will later walk through adoring Stockholm crowds in -1C temperatures, trying to get the EU nation excited about Britain.

After Meghan mania hit the UK in December and January, taking attention away from the couple, this will be an opportunity to snatch back the limelight.

The duke and duchess will be hosted for lunch by the King and Queen of Sweden before walking up picturesque cobbled streets to the city's Nobel Museum.

They will be escorted during their stay by glamorous Crown Princess Victoria, 40, who will inherit the throne, and former personal trainer husband Prince Daniel, 44.

And Kate could have her work cut out for her, as Victoria is a Yale graduate in politics, conflict resolution and international peace-building who speaks four languages fluently and has even done basic military training.

Sweden is an EU member state and Britain's departure from the union is sure to come up during the visit - so she will need to be well armed for challenging chat.

They will then go to an event celebrating the best of Swedish design where they will IKEA bosses still reeling from the death of their founder Ingvar Kamprad.

In the evening they will have dinner at the British ambassador's house with Swedish royals.

This is the first day of a four day tour which will also take in Oslo, Norway, on Thursday and Friday.

Norway is not in the EU - meaning they will have the opportunity to see the issue from both sides.

During their stay they will visit a search and rescue centre in an old fortress and watch ski jumping.

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