The Prince and Princess of Wales have opened up about how they spend some of their weekends with their children.
Kate, 43, and Prince William, 42, cheered on opposing sides at Saturday’s Wales v England Six Nations match at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Before the game, the couple met injured players who have been supported by the Welsh Rugby Charitable Trust inside the Sir Tasker Watkins Suite – a space dedicated for use by the players and their families ahead of games.
William is patron of the trust, which was set up to help players who have been severely injured while playing rugby in Wales, and their loved ones, inviting them to every Wales home game and hosting an annual family day.
The royal couple spoke of how they watch Princes George and Louis play rugby at weekends in ‘freezing’ weather.
‘At weekends we go from one competition to the next,’ William said. Kate 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, actually.
The princess, who is patron of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), said: ‘They’ve been exposed to lots of different sports.’
William, who holds a similar position with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), and Kate chatted with the former players about their rugby careers and how they are continuing to enjoy the game.
On arriving at the stadium, they met the 3rd Battalion The Royal Welsh’s Goat Major and mascot, Lance Corporal Shenkin.
They were also introduced to Morfudd Meredith, the Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan, Terry Cobner, president, Richard Collier-Keywood, chairman, and chief executive Abi Tierney, all of the Welsh Rugby Union, and Rob Udwin, president of the Rugby Football Union.
The famously competitive couple have previously joked about supporting different teams during the tournament with William supporting Wales and Kate rooting for England.
After the match, won 68-14 by England, both William and Kate visited the Wales and England changing rooms to speak to the players.
They then headed to the pitch to meet Rodrigo Gonzalez, co-founder and co-chief executive of 2022 Earthshot Prize winner Notpla, to mark the rollout of its plastic-free food packaging across Welsh Stadiums.
On Monday, the Princess will attend the Irish Guards’ St Patrick’s Day parade in a solo engagement.
Kate, who is colonel of the regiment, missed the Guards’ celebrations last year after being diagnosed with cancer.
The princess, who is gradually returning to public duties, will award long service and good conduct medals to soldiers and present the traditional sprigs of shamrock to officers and guardsmen at Wellington Barracks in London.
Kate will take the salute as colonel during a march-past and meet Irish Guards veterans as well as junior cadets from Northern Ireland known as Mini Micks.
The princess will also spend time in the junior ranks’ dining hall, where senior guardsman will propose a toast in her honour, and gather with families in the sergeants’ mess.
In 2023, Kate visited the Irish Guards on St Patrick’s Day with the Prince of Wales at Mons Barracks in Aldershot, Hampshire, after taking over the role of colonel from William.
Last year, the guardsman gave three cheers for their absent colonel while the princess was away from public duties after abdominal surgery.
