The Princess of Wales has revealed Prince Louis is “mad about rugby” at a reception for the England Wheelchair Rugby League squad in Hampton Court Palace.
As Patron of the Rugby Football League, the Princess said she watched the squad’s November World Cup Final victory over France with her family on TV, telling the players they had “set the bar high”.
Asked whether her own children play the sport, the mother-of-three said: “We’re always slightly competitive with each other. They all love sport and Louis is mad about rugby.
“They are at an age where they just love running around”.
She also revealed she uses the trampoline to stay fi t, telling one of the players who asked if she went to the gym: “It’s running around after the children – I do it all, whenever I can squeeze in exercise I do, even jumping on the trampoline with my children before school.”
The Duke of Sussex served as patron of the Rugby Football League until February 2021 and Kensington Palace announced that the Princess would be taking over the following year.
Since then, she has been keen to show her support for the Wheelchair Rugby League and to shine a light on the increased interest in the sport.
At the palace, she met with members of the squad and coaching team to pass on her congratulations for their historic 28-24 victory over France, which marked England’s first World Cup triumph since the inaugural Wheelchair tournament that was held in Australia in 2008.
The Wheelchair Final attracted a capacity crowd of 4,500, a new record for the Wheelchair Rugby League, and was watched by a seven-figure broadcast audience.
Sporting a burgundy trouser suit with a white round-neck jumper, the Princess told the players: “I bet you’ve been smiling since your win, you’ve all got used to smiling”.
She said that she was “so excited” to see the squad’s trajectory after their win and remarked that it was an “amazing” final and “really well deserved”.
She added that the final “really raised the profile” of wheelchair rugby, saying it “highlighted the power of the sport”.
The Princess of Wales told one of the players: “It’s this integrated network and community within the team, that’s what breeds the success…huge congratulations.
“You’ve set the bar really high now, I’m going to have to come and see a game firsthand”.
When one of the squad remarked that he wanted to see her visit and try playing with them in a wheelchair, she quipped: “There’s no excuse now…I’m going to have to do some upper body strength.”
She also commended their passion for the game, saying: “The dedication it takes to get to this level, well done you”.
The Princess of Wales also took interest in the various international approaches to wheelchair rugby, asking the players: “Do different teams in different nations take quite a different approach to the sport or is there a unified approach?”
One of the players responded: “It’s all about helping each other and trying to work together”.
She also emphasised how keen she was to come and watch a game live, saying: “I was watching the final on the telly but it must be totally different watching live,” adding that it might be “far more intense” in person.
Before departing the Princess told the squad: “I’m really proud and really grateful we got this opportunity and best of luck for the training and the season and I promise I’m going to come and see you for some games.”
English