HAVING A BALL IN MAIDENHEAD KATE, THE SPORTY PRINCESS LEAPS INTO ACTION TO SHARE HER MESSAGE

The Princess of Wales enjoyed her second playtime – on the pitch this time – taking part in rugby drills to highlight her Shaping Us Campaign.

- EMILY NASH

Kate demonstrated her sporting skills at Maidenhead Rugby Club in Berkshire, joined by England rugby union stars Courtney Lawes and Danny Care, plus former England international Ugo Monye.

Looking athletic in a b lue Eng land Rugby top and navy jogging bottoms from Sweaty Betty, her hair tied in a high ponytail, the Princess leapt like a ballerina for the ball during a game of “walking rugby”, designed to encourage more people to play.

FAST WORK 

Throwing herself into the action, the competitive royal laughed when she was reminded it was “walking only”, saying: “Sorry, sorry!”

Courtney described her as being “very good” at the game.

Kate, patron of the Rugby Football Union, was visiting to shine a light on the important role played by fathers in a child’s crucial first five years of life.

A FATHER’S EXPERIENCE 

She held a discussion with the players about their experiences and asked Si Trower, the founder of rugby mental health charity Brave Mind: “Do you feel – particularly as a first-time dad – there was information out there to help guide you?”

“Not at the time,” he replied. “But neither did I go out looking for it. It's a big life change and could be really hard at the time.”

Courtney said: “As a dad, for the first six to nine months, my missus was breastfeeding and you feel a bit of a spare part a lot of the time.