William and Kate back rival teams before Six Nations
Prince William and Princess Kate have issued a joint message ahead of Saturday’s England v Wales Men’s Six Nations match at Twickenham, highlighting their friendly rivalry as patrons of the two national rugby bodies.
In a statement shared on their official social media channels, the couple wished both sides luck and signed off “W&C”, with Hello Magazine reporting that they wrote: “As patrons of both unions respectively…May the best team win” ahead of the fixture.
Prince William has served as Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union since 2016, while Princess Kate became patron of the Rugby Football Union and the Rugby Football League in 2022, taking over the roles previously held by Prince Harry. The patronages make the annual championship a personal contest in the Wales household, particularly when the two home nations meet.
The pair’s public competitiveness has also been noted in other engagements, including occasions when Prince William joked with a fan about keeping “private diaries” during a recent appearance.
With the match taking place in south-west London, the fixture is a high-profile moment in the Six Nations calendar, and the Waleses’ joint message underlines how sport remains a key part of their public roles and patronage work.
