The new Royal Family rivalry that even the Queen can't solve revealed

The Royal Family is facing a brand new rivalry that even the Queen can’t solve and it involves three of the most prominent senior royals.

• From the moment the Duchess of Cambridge was announced as taking on a new royal patronage, the stage for sporting rivalry was set.
• She, Prince William and Princess Anne are all Patrons of national rugby teams and they’re going head to head in the Six Nations 2022.
• This royal news comes as reports suggest Prince Harry’s new revelations could ‘shake royals to the core’.

Senior members of The Firm are known for having multiple important royal patronages, from Prince William’s support of Centrepoint to help end youth homelessness in the UK to the Queen’s position as Patron of the British Red Cross. Now it seems that three patronages could cause some friendly rivalries within the Royal Family over the next month. Just two weeks ago Kate Middleton sported rugby gear as she was announced as the new Patron of the Rugby Football Union and the Rugby Football League.

These prestigious roles once belonged to Prince Harry and the Queen before him, and although the delighted Duchess of Cambridge seemed to enjoy straying from a standard work day, her new role could mark the start of over a month of royal division.

The Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in England and on 5th February the Six Nations officially started. This annual rugby competition sees the national teams for England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy battle it out to be crowned the winners after six gruelling matches. 

It’s expected that Kate’s allegiances would naturally lie with the England team given her new position. Though this places her in direct competition with not only her aunt-in-law Princess Anne, but with her husband Prince William. 

Since 2016, the Duke of Cambridge has been the Patron of Welsh Rugby Union after taking over the role from Her Majesty. Whilst Anne has been Patron of Scottish Rugby for over three decades.

Already this year, Wales have beat Scotland and Scotland have beat England by narrow margins. But with the Six Nations final not set to take place until 19th March, there are several more weeks of competitive rivalry between the three royal patrons' teams until a winner is announced. 

And despite the Queen often being seen as a guiding figure and the only person who could “fix” the reported rift between Prince William and Prince Harry, she likely won’t be picking a side here. As monarch of the entire United Kingdom, Her Majesty will perhaps want to remain impartial amid this sporting Royal Family rivalry.

Meanwhile, no matter things go in the competition, Kate revealed just how delighted she is to be supporting her two patronages as she wrote on social media, “I look forward to working with them across all levels of the games, and to cheering England on in what promises to be an exciting year for both sports! C.”