Duchess Kate to be handed Prince Harry’s former role by the Queen

Duchess Kate is reportedly going to be handed various sporting patronages by the Queen, these were roles that were previously held by the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry.

• Duchess Kate is going to take over some new royal patronages.
• The new patronages are sports-based, which is perfect for Kate who is an avid sports fan.
• In other royal news, Meghan Markle will celebrate her 40th with a low-key party—organized by Oprah's go-to party planner.

Duchess Kate will be the new patron of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Rugby Football League (RFL), reports The Sunday Times.

These are both roles that were previously held by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex.

The Prince was stripped of these titles after he and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, officially stepped down as members of the royal family on 31st March 2020.

Up until this point, the Prince was active in his role as a patron, and just a couple of months before stepping down from his senior royal position, he was pictured hosting the Rugby League World Cup 2021 draws at Buckingham Palace.

According to The Sunday Times, Prince Harry’s sister-in-law, Kate, will now be taking on these positions and an announcement from the royal family about these changes is expected in the next few months ahead of the Rugby World Cup in October and November.

Kate has always loved rugby and her sister has previously spoken about how important the sport was to their family growing up.

“Picture the scene. It’s Saturday afternoon in the Middleton household. The atmosphere is heavy with expectation," wrote Pippa for Vanity Fair in 2014.

"All eyes are on the television...we’re watching England play Ireland in the 1996 Five Nations Rugby tournament...Rugby was a big thing in our family, and the focal point was international matches...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.”

As well as enjoying the sport as a child with her family, Kate has also been spotted at various rugby games since she became a member of the royal family.

In 2015 she went to the Rugby World Cup that was hosted by England and in 2017 she was spotted at a Six Nations match in Paris where she watched France v Wales.

Duchess Kate's husband Prince William is patron of the Welsh Rugby Union which means that the royal couple will dominate the rugby patronages once Kate is bestowed these new titles.

It is speculated that Kate will continue the Rugby Football Union's 'inner warrior' campaign as patron.

This campaign aims to encourage more girls and women to participate in the typically male-dominated sport.

It is uncertain what the royal family will decide to do with the rest of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's remaining former patronages, but this redistribution seems like a great fit.