Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
The Princess of Wales warmly welcomed England’s women’s rugby union team to Windsor Castle in recognition of their victory at the World Cup in September. England secured the championship by defeating Canada 33-13 in front of a crowd of 81,885 at Twickenham, marking their third time lifting the coveted trophy. As a patron of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), Catherine took the opportunity to meet with both the organisation’s officials and staff, as well as the team’s 32 players.
Throughout the home World Cup tournament, Catherine closely followed England’s progress and was present to witness their pool-stage victory over Australia in Brighton. The royal reception included notable figures such as captain Zoe Stratford, two-time World Cup champion Marlie Packer, and head coach John Mitchell, all of whom were honoured with Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) distinctions in the New Year Honours. Additionally, vice-captain Megan Jones, back row Sadia Kabeya, and Ellie Kildunne—who was nominated for Sports Personality of the Year—received Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) awards in December.
Ellie Kildunne, famous during the competition for her signature cowboy hat, shared a light-hearted moment with the Princess of Wales at Windsor Castle. Kildunne had even tattooed the number ‘2025’ on coach Mitchell after the team’s success. Reflecting on their interaction, Kildunne explained, “It was the first thing she said when she came over to our group, ‘Have you forgotten your cowboy hat this time?’ I said ‘it looks like you’re the one that has forgotten your cowboy hat’.” She went on to describe how Catherine put on the iconic cowboy hat and did a little dance, a moment that made her “officially a cowboy,” leading to the playful suggestion that the Princess would need a tattoo in return.
Despite their celebratory day, the team faced minor setbacks. The Red Roses arrived about an hour late due to their bus breaking down and subsequently the driver taking a wrong turn, which meant they could not enjoy a planned tour of Windsor Castle. After the royal event, the squad made their way to Downing Street to meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, completing a day filled with well-deserved recognition and celebration
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.