Princess of Wales to host reception for England’s wheelchair rugby league team
The Princess of Wales will host a reception for England’s World Cup-winning wheelchair rugby league team at Hampton Court Palace.
Kate, who is patron of the Rugby Football League, will meet members of the squad and coaching team to discuss their victory in November’s tournament, which was England’s first since the inaugural competition in 2008.
England narrowly defeated reigning champions France 28-24 in the final thanks to a late try by captain Tom Halliwell – with just three minutes to play.
The biggest crowd in the sport’s history was watching on at the Manchester Central Convention Complex, with 4,500 spectators at the arena and a seven-figure broadcast audience.
The Wheelchair World Cup took place at the same time as England’s men’s and women’s senior teams were playing competitive rugby, and the princess will hear about the benefits that brought.
Kate took over the Duke of Sussex’s former roles as patron of the Rugby Football League and the Rugby Football Union in February last year after he and the Duchess of Sussex stood down as working royals.
She revealed in a visit to England’s senior men’s and women’s rugby teams at Twickenham in February last year that Prince George is a keen rugby player and Prince Louis is “kamikaze” when he plays the sport.
Speaking about her children’s enthusiasm for rugby, she said: “They’re all enjoying it, Louis is kamikaze, we’re worrying about when he gets older, he’ll be in the middle of everything.”
