Kate Middleton Replaces Prince Harry as Royal Rugby Patron
02.02.2022 - 11:36
/ etonline.com
Kate Middleton is officially the Patron of the Rugby Football League and the Rugby Football Union, Kensington Palace announced on Wednesday. The Duchess of Cambridge is taking over for her brother-in-law, Prince Harry, and it's the first one of Harry's former patronages to be redistributed to another member of the royal family since he and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped back from their roles as working royals.According to the Kensington Palace press release, the new patronages, which have been given to 40-year-old Kate by Queen Elizabeth, closely align with «her Royal Highness’ longstanding passion for sport and the lifelong benefits it can provide, both within our communities and on an individual level.»Kate has showed off her athletic abilities in the past.
She also played field hockey at St Andrew's School, as well as tennis. Her husband, 39-year-old Prince William, is patron of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In September, the couple visited the City of Derry Rugby Club in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, and Kate happily participated in the sport.In her new role as Patron of the Rugby Football Union, Kate will visit Twickenham Stadium, the home of England Rugby, on Wednesday to meet England players, coaches and referees and join a training session taking place on the pitch. The Rugby Football League is the national governing body for Rugby League in the U.K. and covers all forms of grassroots and the professional game, including women's and wheelchair rugby.
Meanwhile, the Rugby Football Union is the national governing body for grassroots and elite rugby union in England. It promotes and runs the sport, educates and trains players and officials, and runs the England men's and women's elite performance teams.Ralph Rimmer,
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