The Prince of Wales is playing polo today in memory of the late Rugby League legend and MND campaigner Rob Burrow with hopes of raising £1million for good causes.
William showed off his skills in the Out-Sourcing Inc Royal Charity Polo Cup at the Guards Polo Club at Windsor in aid of 11 different charities supported by both himself and the Princess of Wales.
It is understood that Kate, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, will not be attending. It is the 13th time the Prince, 42, has played in the polo match and the total sum raised after today is expected to reach an incredible £13million.
The causes concerned are all close to the hearts of the couple and include emergency services, mental health, early years, conservation and the Armed Forces, and many are patronages.
New this year, however, is the MND Association – the charity associated with the late Rob Burrow and whose Patron is The Princess Royal.
Ready to go! The Prince of Wales is playing polo today in memory of the late Rugby League legend and MND campaigner Rob Burrow with hopes of raising £1million for good causes
The Prince of Wales put on animated display during the match in Windsor this afternoon
Prince William with former rugby league player Rob Burrow in Leeds on January 11
The Prince of Wales presented Rob Burrow and his friend Kevin Sinfield with their MBEs in January for their legendary fundraising efforts, before Rob sadly passed away in June.
It is understood the meeting had a profound effect on William.
The prince paid personal tribute to the ‘legend of rugby league’ and MND campaigner Rob after his death last month.
The Royal Marsden cancer hospital has been nominated as a longstanding patronage of the prince and not because of his wife, but given Kate’s diagnosis this year William clearly has a new understanding of what affected families go through.
The Blackthorn Rally is an annual veterans event which supports conservation projects, and this year is in aid of the endangered Masai Giraffe in Tanzania.
The match kicked off at around 3pm, with presentations expected just after 4.30pm.
A Kensington Palace spokesman said: ‘Each year the polo match raises a million pounds for deserving charities and that is the driver of why the Prince of Wales takes part.
‘To date, the prince playing polo has raised an incredible £13 million pounds for charities that The Prince and Princess support. He’s hopeful for a win!’
Last year, Kate, who made a brief return to the public spotlight last month at Trooping the Colour, attended the event, presenting her husband with a trophy and greeting him with a kiss.
Talented: William showed off his skills in the Out-Sourcing Inc Royal Charity Polo Cup at the Guards Polo Club at Windsor
Keeping his eyes on the action! The Prince of Wales watches during the Out-Sourcing Inc Royal Charity Polo Cup
The Prince of Wales (right) met Rob Burrow, his wife Lindsey and their children Maya (left), Macy and Jackson in January of this year
In a statement released last month, the mother-of-three revealed she was making good progress but was ‘not out of the woods yet’ and had ‘good days and bad days’ as she continued her treatment.
There is speculation Kate could attend the tennis finals of the Wimbledon Championships this weekend in her role as patron of The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club.
Meanwhile, William is expected to fly to Germany to watch England compete against Spain in the Euro 2024 football final on Sunday in Berlin.
It comes after the Prince apologised for his loss of voice yesterday after shouting himself hoarse during England’s victorious semi-final.
William marked the first year of his £3million Homewards initiative by returning to the London Borough of Lambeth, where he first launched the project.
During his outing, the keen football fan revealed he shouted himself hoarse during the Three Lions’ tense semi-final victory over the Netherlands in Germany.
The future king apologised for his slight loss of voice as he met representatives working to eradicate homelessness in six locations: Newport, Lambeth, Belfast, Aberdeen, Sheffield and three neighbouring Dorset towns, Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch.
In a speech he reiterated his belief that homelessness ‘can be ended’ and said the ideas and approaches being developed in the six target areas ‘will have the power to inspire change across the UK and beyond’.
The prince appeared ready for the match as he took to the field in Windsor this afternoon
William couldn’t help but smile as he attended today’s occasion at the Guards Polo Club
The Prince of Wales looked the part in his outfit as he took part in today’s charity polo match
The Prince of Wales speaks to guests outside the US Polo association hospitality tent during the Out-Sourcing Inc Royal Charity Polo Cup
It is the 13th time the Prince (pictured speaking to guests), 42, has played in the polo match and the total sum raised after today is expected to reach an incredible £13million
The prince, who is president of the Football Association and an Aston Villa fan, posted on social media after manager Gareth Southgate’s team booked their place in the Euro 2024 final with a last-gasp goal by Villa player Ollie Watkins.
Writing under his own name William posted on X: ‘What a beauty, Ollie! Congratulations England!’
Ian Jones, head of external engagement at Bournemouth University, which is involved with the Homewards project, brought up England’s victory while chatting to William: ‘He said he was hoarse and he would be, he’s an Aston Villa fan.
‘I just told him working with Homewards makes us proud just as he would have felt last night when Ollie Watkins scored the last goal.
‘Of course he wanted to talk about last night as well. He said how proud he was about their victory last night and was convinced Ollie Watkins would do something great – he knew that.
‘And he said the self-belief in it, that’s the sort of thing he’s trying to do with us, to work on these projects.’
During the past year, the Homewards teams in six UK locations have been building collaborations between the public, private and third sectors with the aim of laying foundations.