On 15th March, the Prince and Princess of Wales attended the Six Nations rugby match between Wales and England at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, demonstrating their well-known friendly rivalry and competitive nature.
Prince William, as Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, supported Wales, while Catherine, Patron of England’s Rugby Football Union, cheered for England. The Prince became Patron of Wales Rugby in 2006, whilst the Princess became Patron of England Rugby in 2022, a role that was previously held by the Duke of Sussex.
The Prince and Princess of Wales heard about how injured players are supported. (Picture by Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace)
Prior to the match, the royal couple met with injured players supported by the Welsh Rugby Charitable Trust, highlighting their commitment to player welfare. They visited the Sir Tasker Watkins Suite, a dedicated space for injured players and their families to use before games.
In the Suite, William and Catherine spoke with former players about their rugby careers and how they are continuing to enjoy the game.
William speaking to injured players. (Picture by Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace)
Whilst speaking to the former players, Their Royal Highnesses’ gave royal watchers an insight into how they spend their weekends saying that ‘we go from one competition to the next,” William explained, before Catherine added: ‘Louis is six and he’s just started touch rugby and George is 11 and he plays a bit more. They do really enjoy it. They’ve been exposed to lots of different sports’.
While it is not publicly know which rugby team William and Catherine’s three children support, His Royal Highness did speak on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby about how there is some debate over whether they will cheer on their mum or dad’s Patronage.
The Prince noted: ‘It’s become quite the thing in the house’ adding how ‘[Catherine] is quite into it. I’m trying to stay out of it’.
The couple’s competitive nature was on display throughout the game. (Picture by Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace)
In the stadium the Prince and Princess were sat between Rob Udwin, President of England’s Rugby Football Union, and Terry Cobner, President of Wales Rugby Union.
In a display of mutual support, both William and Catherine sang the Welsh national anthem before the game. The match concluded with England defeating Wales 20-10. Afterward, the couple visited both teams’ changing rooms, congratulating the English team and offering encouragement to the Welsh side.
The Princess of Wales with the England Rugby team. (Photo by Dan Mullan – RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images on Kensington Palace Flickr)
The Prince of Wales spoke to the Welsh Rugby team after the game. (Kensington Palace Flickr)
The visit also marked the first time in two years that William and Catherine have attended a six nations match between their two Patronages.
Their Royal Highnesses did not attend the match in 2024, due to The Princess of Wales recovering from ‘planned abdominal surgery’, which later became a cancer diagnosis.
The Prince and Princess of Wales speak to Notpla at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. (Picture by Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace)
Also during the visit, The Prince and Princess of Wales met with individuals from Notpla, one of the winners of William’s Earthshot Prize. Notpla has started suppling its packaging to Principality Stadium in Cardiff, with the company making its debut at the stadium during this year’s Six Nations Championships. The development is part of a multi-stadium rollout in Wales that will replace 750,000+ single-use plastic items at three venues.
