Kate Middleton Will Reportedly Replace Prince Harry in 2 Major Roles

When Prince Harry stepped down as a senior member of the royal family, he gave up several responsibilities. And as a result, Kate Middleton will now serve as his replacement for a few of them.

According to The Sunday Times, the Duchess of Cambridge, 39, will reportedly take over two of Prince Harry’s roles: royal patron of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Rugby Football League (RFL). Although the palace hasn’t confirmed Middleton’s promotion, this report says the announcement will likely happen before the rugby World Cup begins in October.

The news might surprise some royal aficionados, especially since Prince Harry has held the positions for five years. (Although he previously served as vice-patron of the RFU, he took over the queen’s responsibilities in 2016.) However, you should know the duchess is a longtime rugby fan.

Not only did Middleton grow up watching the sport, but she’s also attended several matches over the years alongside her husband, Prince William, who is patron of the Welsh Rugby Union. The roles also align with her other sports-related endeavors, which include royal patron of the All England Lawn and Tennis Croquet Club, the Lawn Tennis Association, SportsAid and the 1851 Trust.

Middleton’s sister, Pippa, previously discussed their family’s passion for rugby in an open letter on Vanity Fair. “Rugby was a big thing in our family, and the focal point was international matches,” she wrote. “We’d plan our weekends around the matches. If we lost, my dad would be in a state of despair for the rest of the afternoon, as if he’d actually lost the game himself.”

We’d love to hear what Prince Harry thinks about this.

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