The tension is building across the UK as England prepares to host the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
England’s national women’s rugby team – known as the Red Roses – are all set to fight for the title, having announced their official squad last week.
Fans across the world are gearing up for what should be an exciting tournament – but there’s one fan in particular who will be paying close attention.
A royal fan
There will be anticipation building in royal circles too, particularly for the Princess of Wales, who is a longtime fan of the sport.
The royal has been patron of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), which is the national governing body for rugby union in England, since 2022. She also took on the role of patron of the Rugby Football League at the same time.
“I am so thrilled to become Patron of the @TheRFL and @EnglandRugby,” she shared on social media at the time.
“Two fantastic organisations who are committed to harnessing the power that sport can have in bringing communities together and helping individuals flourish.”
The statement was accompanied by a video of Kate and various players passing a rugby ball to one another, showcasing the range of people involved in rugby in England.
The Princess seemed to be having fun, laughing and spinning the ball on her finger.
Praise for the Princess
Sara Orchard, BBC Sport commentator and reporter, spoke exclusively to HELLO! ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup. She praised the Princess’s involvement in and advocacy for the sport:
“The Princess of Wales being engaged and a patron of England women’s rugby is absolutely brilliant because it brings more eyes towards the game,” she said.
“I’m also quite excited by the fact that her husband, the Prince of Wales, is the patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, so that could be a nice rivalry for us to watch out for.”
Despite supporting different teams, the Prince and Princess of Wales are often seen watching the sport together.
They were spotted in the stands together at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The then-Duchess of Cambridge had her head in her hands and a big smile on her face as she reacted to a tense match between Australia and Wales at Twickenham.
The royal couple have previously joked about their rivalry.
© Getty“It’s going to be a very tense journey home,” Prince William quipped ahead of a 2023 Six Nations match between England and Wales. “If we win today my wife won’t speak to me. It will be a tense evening.”
An important message
Philippa Tuttiett, former Welsh Women’s Rugby Captain, told HELLO! exclusively about the importance of the Prince and Princess of Wales’s support.
“I love the way that we’ve seen them coming down to training sessions and getting fully involved,” she said. “Kate did a lineout lift with the England team. I thought that was brilliant because half of the stigma sometimes with women’s rugby is you have to look a certain way or act a certain way to play.
© Getty“And I think that’s one thing people will realise in this year’s World Cup, when you see these individuals, especially see them off the field, it is for all shapes and sizes. There will be people playing full-on contact rugby, smashing into people with the most amazing make-up on, the most amazing hair. And that’s fantastic. You do you.
“Everyone is beautiful. Everyone is powerful. And how you choose to use it and display it is entirely up to you. But if you go to women’s rugby, you will never be judged and you will only ever be celebrated.”
A royal success
It looks likely that the Princess of Wales will have a lot to cheer about this year.
Experts project that the Red Roses will repeat the success of their last World Cup and storm their way to the final.
“I do think it’s going to be England in the final. They’ve got that home advantage, but not just that. They are a fantastic team,” Philippa Tuttiett explained.
“They’re on an incredible unbeaten streak at the moment. So I see them in there, and I think it’s going to be their archrivals, New Zealand, once again. And oh my gosh, England have a grudge against them!”
© GettyThe last Women’s Rugby World Cup final was a close-run match, with England just losing out on the title to New Zealand by a mere three points.
Sara Orchard agrees that these two giants of rugby could face off at Twickenham again.
“You are going to hear a lot of people talking about England and the Red Roses being the favourites for this Rugby World Cup. And you know, they are on home turf. But this is going to be my fifth tournament that I’ve covered and I can tell you that New Zealand, the Black Ferns as they’re known, they are not six time World Champions for nothing.”
© GettyCanada looks set to have a great tournament, too, with some experts believing that they could be in the title fight too.
“I think if it’s not England or New Zealand that are going to win it, keep an eye out for Canada and France,” Sara Orchard warned.
Retired Scottish International Rugby Player Deborah McCormack also sees September’s final on the cards for Canada:
“I think England will get to the final, but who joins them, I think still is going to be close between New Zealand and Canada. But I want to edge Canada to get to the final.”
© GettyWhile Prince William’s team might not be so likely to take the crown, Philippa Tuttiett believes that this could be their year. She said she’s “really excited to see how far Wales can go.”
“They had a new coach in this year, a couple of new players. And I think they could make history. They’ve never got past the quarterfinals before, but just maybe this could be the one they’re going to do it.”
The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup kicks off on Friday 22 August with a match between England and the USA at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light.
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