The Prince and Princess of Wales surprised Sir Kevin Sinfield on the latest stage of his final endurance event to raise money for motor neurone disease charities, telling him what he was doing was “so inspiring”.
The royal couple were joined by hundreds of supporters at the DIY Kitchens Stadium, in Wakefield, where William joked with families living with MND how he had dreaded getting a call from Sir Kevin to ask him to join him on one of his runs.
Day three of the Grand Finale
Sir Kevin is completing an ultra marathon every day for seven days in his 7 in 7: The Grand Finale venture, the latest of his challenges inspired by his friend Rob Burrow.
Members of Rob Burrow’s family, including his children Macy, Maya and Jackson, were also at the home of Wakefield Trinity to welcome the rugby league legend at the end of the third day of his run.
As William and Kate greeted him, Kate said: “What you’re doing is so inspiring – the unity that you’re building.”
William told him: “Make sure you hold yourself together for another few days.”
Sir Kevin told the royal couple he had been dreaming of an ice bath all day.
Royal support for the MND community
William later said to club officials: “The rugby league family is very special. We’re all thinking about Rob all the time”.
Earlier, the royal visitors chatted with families who were living with MND, telling Mandy and Paul Attack: “I’ve been dreading the moment Kev asked me – ‘Sorry Kev, I’ve got a busy diary’. This might be his last challenge so I might have missed it.”
He told another table of guests: “I can’t do Lycra.”
And, on the pitch, Sir Kevin asked William if he “fancied a bit of a run”, and the heir to the throne faked deafness, joking: “There’s something in my ear.”
He told the families Sir Kevin’s achievements were “monumental”, adding: “He’s got to be bionic. By the time he’s finished all this, he’s got to have been rebuilt.”
Fundraising milestones
Inspired by Burrow, who died in 2024 after living with MND for four-and-a-half years, Sir Kevin and his team have raised more than £11 million for the MND community since his first annual challenge in 2020.
Six charities are set to benefit once again from this year’s fundraising, the MND Association, Leeds Hospitals Charity, My Name5 Doddie Foundation, Darby Rimmer Foundation, MND Scotland and the Irish MND Association.
Each ultra marathon is split into seven-kilometre blocks, which must be completed within the hour before starting the next.
Sir Kevin set off on Sunday morning from Hull and will finish on the pitch at Old Trafford ahead of the Super League Grand Final, where his son Jack is expected to play for Wakefield against Warrington.
A memorable visit
As they left, the royal couple were presented with framed photos of previous royal encounters with Wakefield Trinity, with William remarking that he had “heard a lot today” how Saturday’s Grand Final could be the first time the club has won anything for 63 years.
He also met rugby league legend Neil Fox, who still holds the record for points scoring in the sport.
Sir Kevin became emotional as he told the Wakefield crowd how much they meant to him.
He said: “Prince William and Princess Kate, you’ve been such big supporters of what we’ve been trying to do. And such big supporters of Rob and Lindsey (Burrow’s wife) and the Burrow family. To have you here today is incredible and brings real credibility and awareness to the MND community.”
