Princess of Wales cheers England ahead of Rugby World Cup Final

The Princess of Wales has wished England the very best of luck ahead of the Women's Rugby World Cup final against Canada, posting a message to the England women’s team on Instagram and confirming she will not be in attendance for the match at Twickenham. Kate, 43, serves as patron of the Rugby Football Union, a role she took on in 2020 after Prince Harry stepped back from royal duties.

In a caption accompanying a photo with three Red Roses players, Kate 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.” The image shows Kate posing with Megan Jones, Ellie Kildunne and Jess Breach. Ellie and Jess wear white cowboy hats bearing the team’s red rose emblem, while Kate is pictured wearing a red stetson decorated with a tiara motif. The post also included a note from the Red Roses’ official Instagram account: “Thank you for your support!”

Reaction to the post rolled through social media, with supporters complimenting the photo and offering encouragement. Comments ranged from expressions of pride and good luck to admiration for the Princess’s lighthearted display of team spirit. Some followers urged the team to bring the trophy home, noting Canada’s strength as an opponent, while others praised Kate’s engagement with the sport and its players.

The message from the Princess comes as the royal family underscores support for women’s rugby on a high-profile stage. King Charles also offered well-wishes in a statement released earlier on Friday: he and the Queen Consort sent warm regards to both the England Red Roses and the Canada Women’s Rugby Team as they prepared for the World Cup final. The monarch highlighted the teams’ remarkable achievement in reaching the sport’s pinnacle and noted that supporters on both sides of the Atlantic would be cheering with pride.

The timing of Kate’s post follows a separate royal engagement this week in which she and Prince William visited Southport. The couple went to the town to show continued support for families of the young girls killed in the Southport attack in June 2024. Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King were among the victims, and the assailant, Axel Rudakubana, 19, injured eight others during the Taylor Swift-themed dance class incident. The visit underscored the royals’ ongoing involvement in community and charity matters even as major sporting events unfold in the same period.

The Women’s Rugby World Cup final pits England’s Red Roses against Canada and is staged at Twickenham. While the two teams have reached the final through a combination of tactical prowess and relentless competition, England will look to capitalize on home-field advantage in London. Canada, meanwhile, has demonstrated resilience and skill throughout the tournament, and the match has drawn attention from rugby fans across the country and beyond. Despite the absence of the Princess at the final itself, her public endorsement of the team underscores the royal family’s ongoing rapport with rugby’s governing bodies and female athletes who have helped grow the sport’s profile in recent years.

As fans await the outcome, supporters are reflecting on the broader significance of the match for women’s rugby, including increased visibility, media coverage, and sponsorship opportunities that have accompanied the sport’s rising profile. The final’s outcome could influence the roadmap for women’s rugby programs in both England and Canada, from grassroots development to elite competition. Officials have emphasized that the game will showcase high levels of skill, physicality, and sportsmanship, hallmarks of the sport at its international peak.

In confirming her absence from the final, Royal aides did not provide a specific reason for Kate’s decision. Nevertheless, her Instagram post served as a public gesture of solidarity with the Red Roses, reinforcing the trend of senior royals engaging with national teams and female athletes during major tournaments. Whether the final lives up to the hype remains to be seen, but the social media moment already highlighted the broader cultural resonance of women’s rugby in the United Kingdom and beyond.