The Prince and Princess of Wales made a surprise visit to support rugby league star Sir Kevin Sinfield on the third day of his endurance challenge. Sir Kevin is raising funds for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) charities, in what he has stated will be his final fundraising effort.
Catherine told Sir Kevin, "What you're doing is so inspiring – the unity that you're building." Prince William encouraged him to "Make sure you hold yourself together for another few days." The royal couple met Sir Kevin in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, and made a private donation to the charity effort.
Sir Kevin's challenge involves completing seven ultra marathons in seven days, running between Hull and Manchester. The mission is set to conclude on Saturday at Old Trafford in Manchester, ahead of the Super League Grand Final. This challenge is inspired by his former teammate Rob Burrow, who died from MND in 2024.
Before meeting Sir Kevin, Prince William and Catherine spoke with families affected by MND and learned about the impact of fundraising projects. Earlier on Tuesday, they visited the home ground of Rob Burrow's former team, Leeds Rhinos, and met young players, hearing about the club's charitable foundation work.
Princess Anne also showed her support for Sir Kevin's charity run on Monday at the University of York. Since his first challenge in 2020, Sir Kevin has raised over £11m for MND causes.