Kate Middleton Shows Off Rugby Skills at Twickenham Stadium

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge runs with the ball as she takes part in the England's rugby teams training sessions at the Twickenham Stadium, in London

(Image credit: Getty/JUSTIN TALLIS)

In her element. The Duchess of Cambridge just became a patron of the Rugby Football League and Rugby Football Union, and she got to show off her mad athletic skills on the pitch with the England rugby team.

Joining the players for a training session at Twickenham Stadium, Kate Middleton threw the ball around and even took part in a scrum. And judging by her delighted face throughout, the duchess had the absolute time of her life.

The Duchess of Cambridge Joins England Rugby Training Session

Alongside a celebratory video posted to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Instagram, Middleton wrote, "I am so thrilled to become Patron of the Rugby Football League and Rugby Football Union – two fantastic organisations who are committed to harnessing the power that sport can have in bringing communities together and helping individuals flourish. 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"

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Rugby is far from the only sport the duchess has a talent for. The famously sporty royal's propensity for athletic activities started early on for her. "I do think also that her interest in sport, you know, she’s always been sporty, that too has given her a great deal of confidence," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams recently told Marie Claire.

"If one looks at the way she and William balance their activities, there’s very often a sport of some sort, whether it’s rowing or whether it’s some sort of ball game or whatever it is, and then also her links with Wimbledon."

In school, the future duchess played field hockey. And more recently, she had the opportunity to show off her tennis prowess by playing with champion Emma Raducanu. That said, she apparently doesn't have a natural ability in soccer—at least not according to her very honest eldest son. Ouch.

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.