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Kate Middleton catches rugby ball at Maidenhead Rugby Club© Getty

Best photos of Princess Kate showcasing her impressive rugby skills

The Princess of Wales is a huge fan of the sport

Danielle Stacey
Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
October 28, 2023
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The Princess of Wales is a huge rugby fan and no doubt will be tuning in to watch the Rugby World Cup final on Saturday evening.

Sadly England missed out on a place in the final after being knocked out of the tournament by South Africa.

Kate attended two of England's matches in France in her role as patron of Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League.

The royal mum took over the roles from her brother-in-law, Prince Harry, in 2022.

Shortly after the announcement, Kate took part in a training session with England rugby at Twickenham stadium.

And in June 2023, the Princess also played rugby with England stars Courtney Lawes and Danny Care at Maidenhead Rugby Club as part of her Shaping Us campaign.

Take a look at some of the incredible shots of the Princess in action on the pitch in our gallery...

Kate Middleton runs with rugby ball© Getty
Kate has been a rugby fan since her childhood

 Kate, wearing a black England rugby top, black sports leggings and trainers, was asked whether she was ready for her session as she was greeted at Twickenham.

The then Duchess of Cambridge replied: "Absolutely. I've got my kit on."

She switched into a pair of rugby boots as she headed onto the pitch.

Kate Middleton takes part in a scrum at Twickenham Stadium© Getty
Kate takes part in a scrum at Twickenham Stadium

After her outing, Prince William's cousin and former England rugby star Mike Tindall shared his verdict on Kate's skills with co-hosts Alex Payne and James Haskell on their podcast, The Good, The Bad & The Rugby.

Mike replied: "I text Ellis [Genge] and said, 'Mate, please tell me anything she messed up on' so I could sort of… family WhatsApp group, get to her, and he said, 'No she was actually pretty good, and she was really good at kicking,' and I was like [sighs]. But she has this competitive nature."

"She looked unbelievably natural," agreed Alex.

Kate Middleton takes part in a lineout drill© Getty
Kate takes part in a lineout drill

James said: "When she was announced, I thought amazing because we know she obviously likes her rugby. But the way she caught the ball, the way she jumped in the line-out, the little outside break, she was utterly fantastic, she was really, really, really good. And so I was like amazing, and dual sport, what an amazing ambassador."

Kate Middleton holds up her arms in a lineout drill© Getty
Kate is lifted during a lineout drill

 Mike added of Kate: "Just imagine, anyone who's ever tried it, getting thrown up in the line-out if you've never done it before is not easy because normally, you'll kick the prop in either the nuts or the face as he's lifting you and she just looked effortless.

Kate Middleton catches the ball in a line out© Getty
Kate catches the ball in a line out

  Kate is a known sports enthusiast and has attended rugby matches in the UK, as well as the Six Nations tournament in Paris in 2017. 

Kate poses for a group photo at Maidenhead Rugby Club© Getty
Kate poses for a group photo at Maidenhead Rugby Club

 And in a piece for Vanity Fair in 2014, the Duchess' younger sister, Pippa Middleton, wrote about her family's love for the sport: "Rugby was a big thing for 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 big matches, a quick bite to eat at halftime or lunch on our laps, typically a chicken potpie or something equally cosy and English. 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."

Kate Middleton takes part in a game of walking touch rugby© Getty
Kate takes part in a game of walking touch rugby at Maidenhead Rugby Club

LISTEN: How Harry came up with the idea of Invictus over breakfast with friends

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