The Princess of Wales undertook a significant day of engagements across northern England, braving the challenging conditions of Storm Chandra to champion community rugby league initiatives and mental health support services. Her visit to Wakefield Trinity's ground in West Yorkshire formed a central part of this royal tour, where she engaged with diverse community groups and shared insights about her own family's sporting interests.
Revealing Royal Family Sporting Life
During her time at Wakefield Trinity's Champion Schools competition, Princess Kate conversed with teenage girls participating in rugby skills sessions. As patron of the Rugby Football League, the future Queen held a rugby ball while dressed in smart casual attire rather than sports clothing. When asked about Princess Charlotte's school activities, she revealed: "She does loads of sport but not rugby." Kate also offered light-hearted commentary on rugby league's physical nature, adding: "There's not any other sport when you can say contact is a good thing."
Community Engagement Across Generations
The princess demonstrated her commitment to intergenerational community work throughout the visit. She sat with Wakefield supporters aged from their 60s to 90s who regularly attend In Touch events run by Wakefield Trinity's Community Foundation. These sessions help elderly individuals at risk of loneliness socialise through activities like quizzes about the club.
Kate told the group: "But I love this, the league game is so embedded in community life and it's so grassroots (and) interaction, and getting youngsters involved but also how clubs like this connect to the rest of the community. They're absolute gold dust really, and I'm so proud to help support the league across the country."
Supporting Youth Development Programmes
In the dugout, Kate chatted with four boys supported by Inspiring Futures, a programme run by 11 rugby league foundations designed to help youngsters at risk of anti-social behaviour and youth crime. The programme combines classroom workshops covering relationships and communication with practical reinforcement sessions. One pupil told her: "I noticed afterwards I can control my anger a lot better."
Luke Shale, head of Wakefield Trinity's Community Foundation, commented after the visit: "We try and hit every supporter that we've got in the club. So we've got supporters now from babies to some that are near 100 years old – so it's trying to engage with them in ways outside of just the rugby on the field." He added about Kate: "She was really impressed with the girls playing Rugby League because it can be seen as a very male orientated sport."
Mental Health Focus Across Yorkshire
Earlier in the day, the Princess visited Family Action's children's trauma therapy service in Bradford. This engagement formed the first of three chosen to underscore "the healing power of creativity, community and nature for individuals who have experienced trauma, isolation and poor mental health."
During this visit, Kate met a little girl and her therapist, helping the unnamed five-year-old use a shell to listen to the sea. The princess told her: "That's what I like doing with shells. If you close your eyes you can sometimes imagine you're by the beach." The girl replied "yes" when Kate asked if she could hear the waves and showed her a "potion" she had made that would keep "the bad dreams" away.
Peak District Wellbeing Walk
Later, the princess braved the weather for a waterlogged walk in the Peak District with Mind Over Mountains, a charity offering professional mental health support through therapeutic outdoor experiences. Kate apologised for the rain as she arrived at Curbar Gap in Derbyshire, telling the group: "Nothing is going to stop us."
The royal did check that everyone was happy to continue in the inclement weather before the group set off to walk along Baslow Edge, saying she was willing if they were. Kate took to the hills in a brown waterproof coat, brown trousers, walking boots and a tweed hat.
Walkers stopped to admire the view over the Derwent Valley as the mist cleared and discussed mindfulness practices. Kate laughed as wellbeing lead Di West pointed out how they were all "connected with the ground," as the princess looked down at a puddle of muddy water she was standing in.
As the walkers returned from the edge, Ms West led a reflection session where participants were asked for three words to sum up the experience. Kate responded: "Mind, body and soul." Walk lead Lizzi Mills noted: "She did really enjoy it. She was saying how much nature means to her – getting out for a walk with her family. How much it means for her to have that time."
Kate was joined on the walk by past participants of Mind Over Mountains – which combines walking in nature, connecting with like-minded people, and professional counselling – along with Ms Mills, Ms West, chief executive Ian Boyd and founder Alex Staniforth.
