The Princess of Wales was ever the humble royal yesterday as she was spotted driving herself to an engagement with the World Cup-winning Red Roses England ladies’ rugby team.
Kate, 44, who is patron of the Rugby Football Union, hosted a reception at Windsor Castle for the national team to celebrate their September 2025 achievement – the team’s first World Cup win since 2014.
Now, a previously unseen clip has revealed that the royal arrived via a small black car that she drove herself.
After pulling up at the venue, Kate was recorded stepping out as a man stood waiting to hand the mother of three an umbrella to shield her from the rainfall.
Kate gracefully stepped out of the car before walking with the man, holding the umbrella to protect them both from the January showers.
The clip has since caught the attention of royal fans on social media, with one hailing Kate’s ability to drive in heels as ‘iconic’.
‘So amazing she doesn’t require people to drive her and can easily do it herself,’ said another.
A third said: ‘I love the fact that she’s holding her own umbrella.’ A fourth agreed, saying: ‘I love it that she took that umbrella from him, and she carried it!’
The Princess of Wales was spotted driving herself to an engagement at Windsor Castle yesterday
At the event, Kate told how she plays rugby at home with her children but added of her eldest son, who is shooting up: ‘I do not want to get tackled by George!’
She told members of the World Cup winning Red Roses England ladies’ rugby team that both Prince George, 12, and Prince Louis, seven, play the sport at school, while Charlotte, ten, joins in when the family plays together at home.
And she revealed that Louis takes part in extra-curricular ‘Rugbytots’ sessions for younger boys and girls aged up to seven.
During a discussion about how schools often don’t segregate boys and girls for sport when they are younger, she said: ‘Charlotte is playing rugby but at home with the family, so she isn’t yet at school.
‘Rugby is so accessible; Louis is playing touch rugby and it’s such a great game.
‘Actually, they shouldn’t necessarily need to pigeonhole boys and girls in particular sports too early.
‘Obviously as they get physically stronger – George now, if we play at home, I do not want to get tackled by George! But up to a certain age, I think it’s great.’
Chatting to captain Zoe Stratford (formerly Aldcroft), vice captains Marlie Packer and Megan Jones and head coach John Mitchell, Kate told how Louis joins Rugbytots sessions.
Pictured: The Princess of Wales, Patron of the Rugby Football Union, hosting a reception at Windsor Castle for the England Women’s Rugby team, following their World Cup win in September 2025
‘He’s sort of seven, eight now and he’s enjoying it,’ she said. ‘At this time of year the pitch is either totally swamped or they’re hard.’
Kate hosted the reception for the national team to celebrate their achievement in September 2025 – the team’s first World Cup win since 2014.
They were welcomed to the Green Drawing Room by the Band of the Irish Guards – of which the Princess is Colonel – who played tunes including 9 to 5 and New York, New York.
The team, who were all wearing their winners’ medals, had been celebrating the night before with a ball to Grosvenor Hotel in London.
‘Was everyone there last night? Any sore heads this morning?’ the Princess asked, to laughs. ‘Honestly, really well done. I hope you were able to celebrate last night and to really reminisce on what an incredible achievement.
‘What does it feel like looking back on that time now?’
She added: ‘You’ve really inspired all the new generation [that] perhaps might not even have thought rugby was for them.
‘I think it really showed how accessible rugby is to so many types of girls in different parts of the country.’
Royal fans took to X to share their thoughts on Kate driving herself – with one calling it ‘amazing’
She was shown a scrap book compiled by prop Maud Muir, containing memorabilia from her World Cup journey, and captain Zoe handed the Princess a bag of gifts – a signed England rugby shirt and a medal.
Ellie Kildunne, who was nominated for last year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year, spoke afterwards about how the Princess had gamely sported a cowboy hat at one of the matches, in a nod to the team’s celebratory ‘cowboy’ dance.
‘She was a good sport and put the hat on, she did a bit of a cowboy dance, and it was a really special moment and she’s now officially a cowboy so I will have to tattoo her as well,’ added Ellie, who has her own tattoo gun and has inked herself, team mates and head coach John.
Speaking about the royal children, Ellie said: ‘We asked if Charlotte plays any rugby and she said she does want to play but she’s not [playing] in school yet, but the two boys are involved in rugby and love it.
‘The game of rugby and what it brings to individuals and families is something she is very bought into so it’s nice to see that rugby is in the Royal Family as well.’
The tournament win was the third for the Red Roses on home soil, and Kate had followed the team’s campaign in her role as patron of the Rugby Football Union, watching from the stands when they defeated Australia in Brighton in a pool match.
She later joined the players when they held a celebratory sing-song in the changing rooms.
In the final, the Red Roses beat Canada 33-13 in front of a record 81,885 spectators who filled a sold-out Twickenham, a third World Cup victory following wins in 2014 and 1994.
It marked a new milestone for the sport, after the first women’s competition was held in 1991, with the tournament gaining official backing from the International Rugby Board at the third event in 1998.
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