Though Kate Middleton has already spent the year expanding her charity portfolio by founding a new center for early childhood research, it seems like she still has room for a few more high-profile jobs. On Sunday, the Times reported that Kate has been selected as the new patron of the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League, and an official announcement will come before the Rugby World Cup this fall.
Until early this year, the job belonged to Prince Harry, who gave it up as a part of his official departure from the palace with his wife, Meghan Markle. Ever since the exit, tabloids have speculated that other royals will be asked to pick up the slack, but Kate’s appointment as the rugby patron would be the first high-profile example of the shifting burden. As patron, Kate will likely be involved in the league’s ongoing “Inner Warrior” campaign, which encourages girls and women to get involved in the full-contact sport.
According to a senior military source that spoke to the newspaper, Princess Anne will soon step in as the next captain general of the Royal Marines, which Harry—himself a marine veteran—took over from Prince Philip in 2017. Though he occupied a largely ceremonial role, the prince did occasionally fly helicopters and participate in wargames as a part of his duties.
“Princess Anne has already done a lot with us over the years,” the source said. “She’s really well connected to the navy and, as a consequence, has a soft spot for the Royal Marines. We are very comfortable with her, especially given her outstanding sporting background.”
When Meghan and Harry first announced their royal exit, they said that they hoped that they would be able to continue to represent Queen Elizabeth, despite seeking financial independence. But the queen, who was said to be against a “half-in, half-out” arrangement, later decided on a 12-month review period, during which they would no longer be working royals. The deal was made in February 2020, and Meghan and Harry officially began their life outside the palace on March 31 of that year.
By the time February 2021 rolled around, they had already signed deals with Netflix and Spotify and started their own foundation, Archewell, proving that they could make it on their own. During a moment of high drama over the couple’s decision to sit for an interview with Oprah Winfrey, the palace announced that Meghan and Harry would be leaving their roles at a few charities connected to the queen, including the rugby leagues, the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, and the National Theatre.
Last year, a source close to Harry told the Sun he was particularly “devastated” by the prospect of losing his three military appointments, including his role with the Royal Marines. Though he lost his ceremonial title, he remained in contact with the Royal Marines throughout 2020, and earlier this year won “significant damages” after a tabloid baselessly claimed he had cut off contact with his military connections.
Though some speculated that Prince William would take over the rugby role his brother had held since 2010, Kate is just as logical a choice. A long time rugby fan, Kate made headlines for her enthusiastic response to a match during the Rugby World Cup in 2015.
In 2014, Pippa Middleton described her family’s devotion to the sport, conjuring an image of her father Michael glued to the TV on a Saturday. “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,” she wrote in Vanity Fair. “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 cozy and English.”
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