Princess Kate has sent a message of support to England’s Red Roses ahead of their Women’s Rugby World Cup opener against the United States in Sunderland this evening.
Kate, who is Patron of English Rugby, shared the note on the Kensington Palace social media platforms shortly before kick-off at around 6.30pm.
Her message read: “Wishing the Red Roses the very best as they kick off their Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign tonight.
"I look forward to cheering you on and seeing the team rise to the challenge on home soil! C”.
Princess Kate sends message of support to Red Roses ahead of World Cup opener
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Kate, who became Patron of the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League in 2022, has frequently shown her support for the national sides.
Her message of encouragement continues a tradition of the Princess backing England’s players at major tournaments and international fixtures.
The USA provide the first test for England as the tournament gets underway. The Americans are the only team to have beaten the Red Roses in a World Cup final, defeating them in their first encounter in 1991.
Since then, England have dominated the rivalry and go into the 2025 competition as heavy pre-tournament favourites.
Princess Kate has wished the Red Roses good luck
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The form book is heavily stacked in England’s favour. The Red Roses have played seven matches in 2025 and won all of them, extending an unbeaten run to 27 games.
They have triumphed in 57 of their past 58 fixtures, a record that stretches back more than six years.
The United States have played six games so far this year, recording one victory — a 31-24 win over Fiji.
On home soil, England has established itself as the dominant force in the women’s game.
Princess of Wales speaking with Canada Women's captain Gabrielle Hindley in 2022
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They have won the past seven Six Nations titles, combining attacking power with defensive consistency to stay ahead of the rest of Europe.
They have also lifted every edition of WXV, the global tournament introduced by World Rugby to increase top-level competition.
Their success in both hemispheres has left them sitting at the top of the world rankings with a record 97.76 points.
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The Princess of Wales at the Rugby World Cup 2023 in Marseille, France
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In the 22 years since the ranking system was introduced, no other team has come close to matching such a score.
The Red Roses have twice lifted the World Cup, in 1994 and 2014, and finished as runners-up on five occasions.
A home tournament provides both pressure and opportunity, with England keen to turn their recent dominance into a third world crown.