Kate Middleton Takes on Her First Solo Royal Duty of 2026 Amidst Prince William’s Rivalry

Prince William and Kate Middleton in March 2025.
Credit :

Dan Mullan – RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty

Key Points

• Kate Middleton is set to undertake her first solo royal duty for 2026 this week.
• The Princess of Wales will host the England Women’s Rugby Team, victors of the 2025 World Cup, at Windsor Castle.
• Princess Kate has been the team’s patron since 2022, while her husband, Prince William, supports the Welsh Rugby Union, adding a friendly rivalry between them.

Kate Middleton is starting the new year with the upper hand over Prince William. The Princess of Wales’ first solo royal engagement of 2026 will feature her hosting the England Women’s Rugby team for a reception at Windsor Castle, celebrating their World Cup victory in September 2025.

Scheduled for Thursday, January 15, the event will see Princess Kate welcoming the team, led by captain Zoe Aldcroft. Players and staff will tour the royal residence before presenting the Rugby World Cup trophy to Kate and posing for a group photograph.

Since assuming the role of patron for the Rugby Football Union in 2022—following the redistribution of Prince Harry’s former patronages—Kate finds herself in a friendly rivalry with Prince William, who holds the title of patron for the Welsh Rugby Union.

The couple’s competitive spirit was on display during last year’s Rugby World Cup, where they attended separate matches on the same day. Kate supported England in their match against Australia, while William cheered for Wales as they faced Fiji.

As of now, Princess Kate, 44, holds a slight edge in this lighthearted competition; England is the reigning champion of the 2025 World Cup and currently tops the women’s rugby world rankings. In contrast, Wales did not advance past the pool stage last year and sits at 12th place in the world rankings.

Prince William and Kate Middleton meet with injured rugby players at the Six Nations match between Wales and England on March 15, 2025.

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Princess Kate’s involvement in rugby has also garnered support from Mike Tindall, a former professional rugby player and member of the royal family through his marriage to Zara Tindall, daughter of Princess Anne. Tindall played for England for 11 years and was part of the team that won the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

Tindall now hosts a podcast titled The Good, The Bad & The Rugby. When Kate attended a training session at Twickenham Stadium in 2022 for her patron role, he provided insights on her skills. “She looks a more natural rugby player than both of you put together,” remarked his co-host Alex Payne, teasing Tindall and fellow host James Haskell.

Despite hoping to find some blunders to share in family conversations, Tindall admitted that Kate impressed the team, particularly with her kicking abilities. “I text Ellis [Genge] and said, ‘Mate, please tell me anything she messed up on,’ so I could sort of… family WhatsApp group, get to her,” Tindall reflected. “And he said, ‘No, she was actually pretty good, and she was really good at kicking,'” he shared with a sigh.

In embracing the rivalry, Tindall expressed enthusiasm. “The best thing is when it rolls to England and Wales, we get the battle of the Cambridges,” he noted, referencing William and Kate’s former titles as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Mike Tindall and Kate Middleton attend Easter service at Windsor Castle on April 21, 2019.
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While the upcoming rugby event marks Princess Kate’s first solo royal duty of the year, she and Prince William, 43, began 2026 with a joint appearance at London’s Charing Cross Hospital on January 8. During this visit, they spoke with healthcare workers about the challenges they are facing during the winter virus season.