Catherine, the Princess of Wales, has once again shown her deep love for sport and family as she shared a heartfelt message of support for England’s women’s rugby team ahead of their first World Cup match.
Known for her athletic spirit and lifelong enthusiasm for outdoor activities, Catherine has been a proud patron of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Rugby Football League (RFL) since 2022, roles she inherited from the Duke of Sussex.
This summer, while taking a short break with her family, the princess interrupted her holiday to cheer on the national team. In a personal note posted to social media, the 43-year-old royal wrote:
“Wishing the Red Roses the very best as they kick off their women’s Rugby World Cup campaign tonight. I look forward to cheering you on and seeing the team rise to the challenge on home soil. C.”
The Red Roses, England’s women’s team, are opening their World Cup campaign against the USA at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland.
Catherine’s message reflects not just her formal role as patron, but her genuine admiration for the sport and the players who inspire young athletes across the country.
The princess’s passion for rugby is well matched by her husband, Prince William, who serves as patron of the Welsh Rugby Union. The royal couple’s opposing allegiances have even made for playful moments at the Six Nations tournament earlier this year, where they were seen supporting rival teams from the stands.
Catherine’s connection to rugby is not just ceremonial. She has proven her own athletic ability on the field. At the time her patronage was announced, she joined an England training session at Twickenham Stadium. In one memorable moment, the princess was lifted during a line-out drill, drawing admiration from former rugby star Mike Tindall, who described her performance as effortless.
The Wales family’s enthusiasm for sports runs deep, with all three children actively participating. Catherine has often spoken about her children’s love of rugby, once laughingly describing her youngest son, Prince Louis, as “kamikaze” in his approach to the game.
At a Six Nations event earlier this year, William remarked on the whirlwind weekends they often experience:
“At weekends, we go from one competition to the next,” Catherine added proudly.
“Louis is six and he’s just started touch rugby and George is 11 and plays a bit more. They do really enjoy it.”
Prince George, now 12, has also joined his parents at several rugby matches, including major international fixtures, showing every sign of carrying on the family tradition of supporting the sport.
Catherine’s love for rugby is not new. It goes back to her own childhood. Her sister Pippa Matthews revealed in a 2014 Vanity Fair article that rugby was at the heart of the Middleton family’s weekends:
“Rugby was a big thing in our family and the focal point was international matches which were often played on Saturday afternoons and were as much social as sporting occasions. We’d plan our weekends around the matches.”
That passion has clearly carried into Catherine’s own family life as she and William encourage their children to take part in sports and share in the camaraderie of the game.
Currently, the Prince and Princess of Wales are enjoying a break from their royal duties while their children are on summer holiday from school. The family is expected to join King Charles and Queen Camilla at Balmoral Castle in the coming days, continuing the royal tradition of spending part of the summer in Scotland.
For now, though, Catherine is content to enjoy the simple pleasures of family life—watching matches together, supporting their favorite teams, and sharing those rare glimpses of intimacy and warmth that remind the public why she has become such a beloved figure.
As England’s Red Roses take to the field, they do so with the knowledge that one of their most devoted fans is none other than the Princess of Wales herself, eagerly cheering them on from home, surrounded by her sporty, energetic family.
