Image: Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images
Kate Middleton set to replace Prince Harry as England rugby patron
Kate Middleton will take on Prince Harry’s role as patron of Rugby Football Union and Rugby League after he was stripped of honorary roles.
Image: Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images
Kate Middleton is reportedly set to take on the honorary roles as patron of England Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Rugby Football League (RFL) seeing as Prince Harry stepped down as a senior member of the royal family in 2020.
The patronages, which were previously held by the Duke of Sussex are expected to be announced before the rugby league World Cup in October and November, according to The Times.
Kate to replace Prince Harry as England rugby patron
The Duchess, who has a keen interest in sport, playing tennis and hockey from a young age, and is a firm rugby supporter, is already the patron of the All England Lawn and Tennis Croquet Club, the Lawn Tennis Association, SportsAid and the 1851 Marine Trust. She has been described as the perfect choice.
Accordign to The Sun, a royal insider said: “Kate would be the perfect choice.”
Spokesmen for the Duchess of Cambridge, Kensington Palace and the RFU did not want to comment.
Prince Harry’s patronages
Prince Harry was stripped of his royal patronages by the Queen in February 2021 after it was confirmed that he and Meghan Markle would step back as working royals. He held the roles for five years, since 2016 when he took over as patron of the RFU from the Queen, who had held the role for 64 years.
According to The Daily Mail, he had also held the role of patron with the Rugby Football League since July 2017.
However, following the one-year review period after Megxit, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed to the Queen that they would not return to frontline duties following their year living in California.
At the time, Buckingham Palace said their decision meant “it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service”.
The final decision
A Buckingham Palace statement read: “Following conversations with the Duke, the Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of the Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.
“The honorary military appointments and Royal patronages held by the Duke and Duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of The Royal Family.
“While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much-loved members of the family”.
Within minutes of the announcement, several sporting bodies released their own statements confirming they had parted ways with the Sussexes. Among them was England Rugby, who thanked Prince Harry for his “time and commitment” to the Rugby Football Union as both patron and vice patron.
Prince Harry attended the Rugby World Cup final when the Springboks defeated England for the title in Japan. Here, the Prince met the South Africa rugby team, and famously shook hands with rugby player, Faf de Klerk who wore his cheeky undies.
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