A royal rivalry is set to play out this weekend as England face Scotland in their Six Nations clash at Twickenham Stadium.
The match on Saturday will see two royal patrons supporting opposing sides, with Princess Anne backing Scotland and the Princess of Wales championing England.
Princess Anne, 74, has held her role as patron of the Scottish Rugby Union since 1986.
The Princess of Wales, 43, took over as patron of England’s Rugby Football Union in 2022, assuming the position previously held by Prince Harry.
Both royal ladies are known for their passionate support of rugby.
Princess Anne will be among the spectators at Twickenham Stadium for Saturday’s match, maintaining her reputation for rarely missing Scotland’s games.
The Princess of Wales will be following the action from afar, as she is currently on a Caribbean family holiday with Prince William and their three children during the February half-term break.
Despite the distance, Kate is expected to keep a close eye on England’s performance from her holiday location.
The Royal Family’s rugby connections extend to the next generation, with the Wales children all learning the sport.
During an appearance on Mike Tindall’s podcast “The Good, The Bad & The Rugby” in 2023, Kate revealed that her youngest son Louis is a “kamikaze” player.
The podcast discussion highlighted the children’s different sporting temperaments, with Kate noting: “What’s interesting is that they all obviously [have] very different temperaments.”
Princess Anne added her own observation about her great-nephews and niece, interjecting: “Just a little bit, I would suggest.”
Prince William has also been nurturing the family’s rugby interests, taking Prince George to watch Wales vs Argentina during the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
