Kate Middleton Breaks Royal Tradition for Meeting With UK Rugby Team

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Kate Middleton isn’t afraid to shift into high gear.

The Princess of Wales recently surprised many by driving herself to an event at Windsor Castle. She hosted a reception to celebrate the England Women’s rugby team’s victory and upcoming participation in the September 2025 World Cup, a move that went against typical royal protocol.

Footage shared on X shows Kate, the team’s Patron, arriving at the event in a black car. She drove herself, and was met by a staff member who gave her an umbrella to protect her from the rain.

It was a bit surprising to see Kate drive herself to an event, as members of the British royal family are typically chauffeured. However, Windsor Castle isn’t far from their home, Forest Lodge, in Windsor Great Park, where she lives with Prince William and their children – Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7. The family had moved to Forest Lodge from Adelaide Cottage in October 2025.

Kate wore a sharp red pantsuit to the sporting event, paired with a classic white blouse and red heels. Her brown hair was styled in loose waves around her face.

According to The Daily Mail, Kate recently shared that she frequently plays rugby with her children at home. She jokingly mentioned, though, that she hopes her oldest son, George, doesn’t start tackling her!

Kate shared that young Louis is currently enjoying “Rugbytots,” a program for little ones, and Charlotte is playing at home, though she hasn’t begun playing rugby at school just yet.

She also said that the team has inspired a new generation of girls, many of whom might not have considered playing rugby before. She believes it demonstrated that rugby is a sport for girls from all backgrounds and all over the country.

As Kate, William, and the royal family look ahead to 2026, let’s recap some of the latest news and happenings.

The 44-year-old also acknowledged the English team’s success and playfully joked about how they might be feeling after a night of celebrating.

“Feeling a little rough this morning?” she asked with a smile. “Seriously, fantastic work everyone. I hope you all had a chance to celebrate and reflect on how amazing this accomplishment is.”

She also said that the player has inspired a new generation of girls, many of whom might not have previously considered playing rugby. She believes it demonstrated that rugby is a sport for girls from all backgrounds and regions.

As Kate, William, and the royal family look ahead to 2026, let’s take a moment to recap some recent headlines.

Camilla recently revealed on BBC Radio 4’s Today program that she was attacked on a train when she was a teenager. She said she had largely forgotten the incident, but remembers feeling incredibly angry at the time.

She revealed the perpetrator was a stranger.

Camilla, while discussing gender-based violence with BBC’s John Hunt and his daughter Amy, recalled a frightening experience. She explained that she was reading when a stranger attacked her, and she defended herself. She vividly remembers getting off the train and her mother noticing something was wrong – her hair was disheveled and a button was missing from her coat.

She explained that after the attack, she didn’t feel fear, but intense anger. That fury stayed with her for a long time.

 

Following Prince Andrew’s decision to step down from his Duke of York title, King Charles III announced further changes: Prince Andrew will also lose his home at Royal Lodge and no longer be known as a Prince.

Buckingham Palace announced today that Prince Andrew will no longer use his royal titles, including ‘His Royal Highness.’ He will now be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.

Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, has announced he will no longer use the title Duke of York. This decision comes because of ongoing public concern about his relationship with the late Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.

After talking with The King and my family, I’ve realized the ongoing accusations against me are taking attention away from the important work of His Majesty and the Royal Family,” Prince Andrew said in a statement. “As I’ve always done, I’m prioritizing my family and country. Therefore, I stand by my decision from five years ago to step back from public duties.”

Andrew stated that, with the King’s approval, he was taking a further step and would give up his royal title and honors. He reiterated that he strongly denied all accusations made against him.

 

In October 2025, the King and his oldest son attended the Countdown to COP30 event held at the Natural History Museum in London.

The couple took photos outside the museum before going inside to discuss climate change solutions with government officials and activists. This event was held ahead of the COP30 World Leaders Summit in Belém, Brazil, in November, which Prince William will attend in place of his father.

In September 2025, Sarah, Duchess of York, stepped down as a patron of Julia’s House after an old email from 2011 surfaced. The email revealed she referred to Jeffrey Epstein as a friend.

After details of the Duchess of York’s communication with Jeffrey Epstein became public this weekend, Julia’s House decided it was no longer appropriate for her to continue her role as a patron of the charity. The charity has informed the Duchess of this decision and expressed its gratitude for her previous contributions, according to The Guardian.

A representative for Ferguson stated the email was sent following a threat made by Epstein.

Oh my gosh, you guys, I almost couldn’t believe my eyes! After so long – 19 months! – Prince Harry was finally spotted arriving at Clarence House! It’s where his dad, the King, lives in London, and everyone thinks he was going to meet with him. It was just a quick visit though, because he had something else planned in the city right after. I’ve been following every update and it feels like a huge moment after everything that’s happened! I’m so relieved they’re making an effort to connect.

Harry arrived at the house around 5:20 p.m. on September 10th, but Charles had come back just a few hours earlier.

Princess Anne’s son and his former husband, Mark Phillips, announced their engagement to Harriet Sperling on August 1st. The couple had been dating for over a year.

The couple’s spokesperson told Hello! magazine that both families were told about the engagement at the same time and were very happy about it.

Just a day before turning 78, the royal was made an honorary Vice Admiral by the Royal Navy.

Camilla is the first woman to receive this honorary title. It’s awarded only by the monarch—in this case, her husband, King Charles III—based on a recommendation from the First Sea Lord, currently Sir Gwyn Jenkins.

Just hours before she was scheduled to attend, Princess Catherine canceled her appearance at Royal Ascot, according to Kensington Palace.

The palace said Kate was sad she couldn’t attend the event, but is still working out how to manage her public appearances as she recovers from cancer.

Prince Harry’s lawsuit seeking extra security ended on May 2nd when a court dismissed his case. This came over a year after a previous request for increased protection was denied by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee.

After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior royals in 2021 and moved to the US, their publicly funded security was reduced. However, Harry continued to request security arrangements whenever he returned to the UK.

Prince Harry told the BBC on May 2nd that he was deeply upset by the outcome of his legal fight. He stated that he doesn’t foresee returning to the UK with his wife and children anytime soon.

In an interview with the BBC on May 2nd, Prince Harry explained that his father, King Charles III, isn’t currently speaking to him due to disagreements about security. However, he expressed hope that they could resolve their differences and rebuild their relationship.

Prince Harry expressed his desire to rebuild his relationship with his family, particularly his father, but indicated the next step depends on his dad. He shares two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, with Meghan.

He doesn’t foresee returning to the U.K. with his family anytime soon. He expressed sadness about not being able to share his British heritage with his children.

Harry explained that his father has significant influence and could potentially solve the situation. He suggested this wouldn’t require direct involvement, but rather allowing professionals to handle things without interference.

After years of fighting, he’s now seeking peace and a chance to make amends. He explained, “Life is short, and my father doesn’t have much time left.”

Oh my gosh, it’s been over a year since King Charles told us about his cancer, and I just read his latest message! He said that going through everything with his health, all the treatment… it’s actually shown him how amazing people really are. It’s like it’s made the good in everyone so clear to him. It just makes my heart swell to hear him say that, honestly!

In a booklet offering support to cancer patients and their families, Charles wrote that receiving a diagnosis is understandably scary. However, drawing from his own experience, he emphasized that it can also reveal incredible kindness and strength in people.

He expressed his gratitude to the healthcare workers who cared for him, and shared that the experience deepened his respect for the incredible work done by the organizations and people present, many of whom he’s known and supported for a long time.

Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis – were absent from the royal family’s traditional Easter service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor on April 20th.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla joined the rest of the royal family in celebrations, but Prince William and Kate chose to spend the weekend at their country home in Norfolk with their children, according to several news sources.

This was the second Easter the couple missed, happening just a week after the Princess of Wales shared news of her cancer diagnosis.

On April 15th, Jason Knauf was appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of Prince William’s environmental initiative, The Earthshot Prize. In a statement on the organization’s website, Knauf expressed his excitement about collaborating with the team and community to further their goal of promoting hopeful solutions for the planet.

I was really interested to hear about his promotion, especially considering what happened almost seven years ago. He raised concerns about how Meghan Markle treated some of her staff, suggesting she was unkind to two personal assistants and tried to discredit another. Of course, representatives for Harry and Meghan strongly denied everything, telling The Times it was all a deliberate attempt to damage their reputation with false and hurtful stories. It’s a complicated situation, and I’m curious to see how this all plays out.

Buckingham Palace looked into the claims, but the investigation concluded in 2022 with no public announcement of its results.

William and Kate’s eldest son George attended a soccer match in Paris alongside his dad April 7. 

A father and son happily watched the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa at Parc des Princes stadium.

Graham Craker, a former bodyguard to Prince Harry and Prince William, passed away in April at the age of 77.

Craker was with Princes William and Harry when they found out their mother, Princess Diana, had passed away, and he was present at her funeral.

In 2017, Craker told The New York Post that he saw Prince William acknowledge him while the hearse carrying the Queen Mother was passing. Craker had been standing at the back of the vehicle, and he nodded to the Prince, who seemed reassured that Craker was accompanying his grandmother on her last journey.

Hugh Grosvenor, the godson of King Charles III, and his wife, Olivia Grosvenor, shared the happy news on March 12th that they are expecting their first child.

A spokesperson announced to The Telegraph that the duchess is pregnant and expecting a baby this summer. The couple expressed their joy and excitement about starting a family.

Prince Frederik, the son of Prince Robert and Princess Julie, passed away on March 1st at the age of 22 after a struggle with a rare genetic condition called PolG mitochondrial disease.

Robert shared in a statement that Frederik is a superhero to his family, many friends, and now, thanks to his PolG Foundation, to people all over the world. Robert believes Frederik’s strength lies in his ability to inspire others and lead by example.

 

Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, reached a legal settlement with News Group Newspapers – the company behind both The Sun and the now-closed News of the World – on January 22nd. He had sued the organization in 2019, claiming that journalists and investigators working for its newspapers illegally obtained information about the royal family.

The agreement involved the company paying a significant amount in damages and offering a complete and sincere apology to Prince Harry. They also publicly acknowledged the widespread and deeply intrusive media coverage of both his and his mother, Princess Diana’s, private lives, according to NBC News.

On January 14th, The Princess of Wales shared the good news that her cancer treatment has been successful and she is now in remission.

She announced on X (formerly Twitter) on January 14th that her cancer is in remission, and she’s now concentrating on getting better. She added that, like anyone facing a cancer diagnosis, it’s taking time to adjust to life afterward.

I’m really excited about the year ahead, honestly. There’s just so much potential and I feel like it’s going to be a great one.

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is grieving the loss of her rescue beagle, whom she adopted in 2015, before she met Prince Harry.

On January 7th, she shared a vulnerable post on Instagram, describing how she’d been crying so much that it felt endless. She explained how she’d try to wash away the tears, hoping the water would somehow make the pain disappear, but acknowledged that it’s okay to feel those emotions anyway.

Meghan lovingly remembered her dog, Guy, saying, ‘Thank you for all the years of unwavering love. You brought so much joy to my life.’

 

It was incredibly sad to learn about the recent tragedy in New Orleans. One of the victims was Edward Pettifer, a young man who, as many of you may know, had a unique connection to the Royal Family. His stepmother is Alexandra Pettifer – you might remember her as Tiggy Legge-Bourke, who used to care for Princes William and Harry. It’s just a heartbreaking loss for everyone involved.

Prince William and Catherine were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Ed Pettifer, as William shared in a message on Kate Middleton’s Instagram on January 4th. They are thinking of the Pettifer family and everyone affected by this terrible tragedy.

Meghan Markle, known for her role in the TV show Suits, started her own Instagram account on January 1st. She had previously closed her personal social media accounts before marrying Prince Harry in 2018.

The next day, she revealed a new Netflix series called With Love, Meghan. A press release described the show as a fresh take on lifestyle programs, combining helpful tips and honest chats with both familiar and new friends.

In June 2025, Prince William and Kate Middleton made a rare public appearance with their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, at Wimbledon.

The family shared on Instagram how happy they were to be back at Wimbledon for the Championships finals this weekend. They congratulated Iga Świątek and Jannik Sinner on their victories and thanked everyone who helped make the tournament so wonderful.

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2026-01-16 21:20