The Princess of Wales is not only an avid rugby fan, but holds the position of royal patron within the Rugby Football Union (RFU), having stepped out earlier on in the Women's Rugby World Cup to support England's Red Roses when they faced off against the Australian team at the American Express Stadium. Now, ahead of the tournament final tonight, where the English team will face off against Canada, Princess Kate has released a message for the team, through her and Prince William's social media pages, to express her support, but has also confirmed that she'll miss the match.
In her message, she wrote: "Good luck England! Wishing the very best of luck to the @redrosesrugby in their Women's Rugby World Cup Final at Twickenham today. We're so proud of you! C".Alongside the personal message, she shared a photo of herself posing alongside star players Megan Jones, Ellie Kildunne and Jess Breach, with the latter two in white cowboy hats featuring the team's signature red rose, while Princess Kate wore a similar cowboy hat, in red, with a tiara-like design across the front.
Fans and followers of the social media took to the comments to share their praise for the English team, with one writing: "Good luck England! You have done us so proud. The hat is so cute on you, Catherine," and another adding: "Very proud of them". Meanwhile, the official Instagram accounts for the Red Roses and England Rugby responded: "Thank you for your support!" and "Our Patron!", respectively.
King Charles' personal message
The Princess of Wales wasn't the only member of the British royal family to send well wishes to the rugby team ahead of tonight's match, as King Charles also released a statement earlier today wishing both the Red Roses and the Canadian team all the best of luck. His message began: "My wife and I send our warmest good wishes to both the England Red Roses and Canada Women's Rugby Team as you prepare for your World Cup final.
He continued: "What a remarkable achievement for both teams to have reached this pinnacle of the sport. I know that supporters on both sides of the Atlantic will be cheering with equal and tremendous pride. May the best team win, and may you both play with the spirit of sportsmanship, determination and true grit that makes rugby such a wonderful game to watch. Whatever the result, you have already done your countries proud. Good luck to you all. Charles R."
The Women's Rugby World Cup final
After beating the French team last week, the Red Roses are facing off against Canada in the final – having won 32 games, the English team is currently ranked number one in the world. They have previously played in eight World Cup finals, winning in 1994 and 2014, against their upcoming opponents, Canada. Led by captain Zoe Alcroft, the Red Roses will play against the Canadian team on Saturday at 4pm, with the match taking place in the legendary Twickenham stadium.
