Yahoo Finance Kate Middleton Has Perfect Royal Reaction When She's Unexpectedly Tickled at Rugby Event
The Princess of Wales was caught off guard at a wheelchair rugby event
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Kate Middleton at Rugby League Inclusivity Day at Allam Sports Centre on Oct. 5Kate Middleton was one poised princess at her latest rugby-related engagement.
The Princess of Wales, 41, knew just what to do when a young participant tried to tickle her at a Rugby League Inclusivity Day hosted by the Rugby Football League, Hull FC and the University of Hull on Thursday. As seen in the video shared to X by Sky News, Princess Kate was chatting with another participant with her back turned when the young man grabbed her waist.
The royal gasped and spun around to see who it was, before sharing a laugh with the boy and shaking his hand. The Princess of Wales is known for her warm way when things go off script at official outings, from Prince Louis’ animated antics at Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant to Princess Charlotte sticking out her tongue at a charity sailing race in 2019.
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Kate Middleton at Rugby League Inclusivity Day at Allam Sports Centre on Oct. 5Related: Kate Middleton Joins Wheelchair Rugby Game to Highlight Inclusivity in the Sport
Kate traveled to Hull on Tuesday to highlight the positive impact the Disability Rugby League has on those who play the sport. Princess Kate also wanted to show how sports can help tackle inequalities and provide a platform for people to develop their skills and fitness regardless of their circumstances or background.
The Princess of Wales attended the event as patron of the Rugby Football League, and looked the part in a branded polo, joggers and sneakers. The sporty royal participated in a wheelchair rugby game and a training session run by the World Cup-winning England Wheelchair Rugby League team, where she surprised with an unexpected accessory — finger bandages. A spokesperson for Kensington Palace tells PEOPLE that “following her minor hand injury recently, it was taped up as a bit of a precaution.”
Kate’s index and middle finger were taped together on her right hand, the same fingers she debuted bandages on while visiting a men’s prison in September. The Princess of Wales hurt her hand while playing on the trampoline with her kids Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5. A spokesperson for Kensington Palace told PEOPLE it was “a small injury, nothing serious.”
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Kate Middleton at Rugby League Inclusivity Day at Allam Sports Centre on Oct. 5Related: Kate Middleton Admits She's 'Worried' About Her Bandaged Finger at Wheelchair Rugby Game
According to the Daily Mail, the Princess of Wales brought up the bandages while chatting with an athlete before hitting the court.
“I'm worried about my finger, but willing to try,” she said before the wheelchair rugby match, where she nearly collided with a pole — but still managed to score.
Elsewhere during the visit, Princess Kate told Team England’s Wheelchair Rugby League coach Tom Coyd that she and her family were “screaming” at the TV when the squad won the Rugby League World Cup Final in November 2022 and that George, Charlotte and Louis are all about the action.
“She told me that the collisions on the TV is what hooked the kids in,” Coyd told the Daily Mail. The revelation followed Kate’s previous comments that George and Charlotte play rugby, and that Louis is “mad” about the sport — perhaps inspiring gifted jerseys with her kids' names.
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Kate Middleton at Rugby League Inclusivity Day at Allam Sports Centre on Oct. 5At Rugby League Inclusivity Day on Thursday, Kate learned more about the larger sport. The Wheelchair Rugby League is currently the most inclusive format across Rugby League, providing the opportunity for all to play together regardless of gender or disability. She also heard about Physical Disability Rugby League (PDRL), a full-contact version of the game adapted for players with physical disabilities who want to access a running version of the sport, and Learning Disability Rugby League (LDRL), a non-competitive version of the sport specifically adapted for those with learning disabilities.
The sporty engagement was Kate’s latest rugby-related outing for one of her newer royal roles. Queen Elizabeth named her granddaughter-in-law patron of the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League in February 2022. It was the first redistributed position previously held by Prince Harry, who stepped back from his working royal role with his wife, Meghan Markle, in 2020.
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In January, the Princess of Wales threw a reception for England’s Wheelchair Rugby League team at Hampton Court Palace in recognition of being crowned World Champions last November, where she spoke about how sports bring her family together.
"We're always slightly competitive with each other. They all love sport, and Louis is mad about rugby," the royal mom said of George, Charlotte and Louis, who she shares with husband Prince William, the Daily Mirror reported. "They are at an age where they just love running around."
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