Kate Middleton to Take Over Prince Harry's Former Role as Rugby Patron
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DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images Kate Middleton and Prince Harry at 2019's Anzac Day commemorative service
Kate Middleton is set to become the new royal patron of the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League, a role previously held by her brother-in-law Prince Harry.
The move, which was previously reported by the Sunday Times and is set to be announced "imminently" according to the Daily Mail, would mark the first one of Prince Harry's former patronages to be redistributed to another member of the royal family since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from their roles as senior working royals.
Kate, 40, is known for her athleticism, from playing tennis (as patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, she's a fixture at Wimbledon) to taking on husband Prince William in yacht racing. She showed off her rugby skills during a 2017 trip to Paris, where she tossed a ball around with young players — in a dress and heels, no less!
Kate's new role also sets up a husband vs. wife sports rivalry in the Cambridge household, as Prince William, 39, is patron of the Welsh Rugby Union.
Samir Hussein/WireImage Kate Middleton
Pippa Middleton, Kate's younger sister, revealed to Vanity Fair in 2014 that rugby was a family-wide event growing up.
"Picture the scene. It's Saturday afternoon in the Middleton household. The atmosphere is heavy with expectation," Pippa wrote. "All eyes are on the television ... we're watching England play Ireland in the 1996 Five Nations Rugby tournament ... Rugby was a big thing in our family, and the focal point was international matches ... We'd plan our weekends around the matches ... If we lost, my dad would be in a state of despair for the rest of the afternoon, as if he'd actually lost the game himself."
Danny Lawson - WPA Pool/Getty Prince William and Kate Middleton
Harry and Meghan Markle gave up their royal involvement with numerous U.K. charities when they officially stepped back from their roles as senior working members of the royal family last year, and the patronages reverted to Queen Elizabeth.
England Rugby was among the charities to thank Prince Harry for his support in Feb. 2021, when it was confirmed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would not be returning to their royal roles.
The Duke of Sussex became Vice Patron of the RFU in 2010, and took over as Patron in December 2016.
We thank him for his support 🌹— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) February 19, 2021
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In addition to the charitable positions that previously belonged to Prince Harry and Meghan, all of Prince Andrew's military affiliations and royal patronages were returned to the Queen earlier this month amid the sexual assault lawsuit against him. They are also expected to be redistributed to other members of the family.
