Sir Kevin Sinfield, a former rugby player and coach, is running seven ultramarathons in as many days to raise funds and awareness for motor neurone disease (MND)

Princess Anne laughs as she speaks with Sir Kevin Sinfield ahead of his second of seven ultra marathons at the University of York Athletics Track on Sept. 28, 2026Credit: Dominic Lipinski/Getty
Princess Anne laughs as she speaks with Sir Kevin Sinfield ahead of his second of seven ultra marathons at the University of York Athletics Track on Sept. 28, 2026
Credit: Dominic Lipinski/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

  • Princess Anne met with Kevin Sinfield, a former rugby player and coach, who is raising funds and awareness for motor neurone disease (MND)
  • As part of his efforts, Sinfield is running seven ultramarathons in as many days
  • When he extended an offer for Anne to join him for a run, the Princess Royal was quick to shut it down with a witty quip

Princess Anne won’t be trading her riding boots for running shoes any time soon.

On Monday, Sept. 28, the Princess Royal, 76, met with Sir Kevin Sinfield, a former rugby player and coach, who is in the middle of running seven ultramarathons in as many days to raise funds and awareness for motor neurone disease (MND).

Sinfield, 46, spoke with Princess Anne before taking to the track at the University of York for his second of seven races, each of which must be longer than a standard 26.2-mile marathon. He noted he actually wasn’t a fan of the sunny conditions on the day, quipping, “People see it on the telly and think it’s a fun run.”

“Fun run is a contradiction in terms,” Princess Anne replied. “I can run, but I don’t do it for [fun]…no, I’m past that stage.”

When Sinfield assured the royal that she was “welcome to join,” she was quick with a quip to turn him down.

“No thank you. I will stick to the horses!” said Princess Anne, who competed in the equestrian events of the 1976 Olympics.

Princess Anne bangs a drum to start the next stage of Kevin Sinfield’s second of seven marathons at rhe University of York Athletics Track on Sept. 28, 2026Credit: Dominic Lipinski/Getty
Princess Anne bangs a drum to start the next stage of Kevin Sinfield’s second of seven marathons at rhe University of York Athletics Track on Sept. 28, 2026
Credit: Dominic Lipinski/Getty

Princess Anne also chatted with former England rugby player Lewis Moody at the event. Moody, a former teammate of the Princess Royal’s son-in-law, Mike Tindall, heaped praise on her support of Sinfield and his efforts.

“Princess Anne is an incredible spirit in her own right, and I think kindred spirit recognized kindred spirit, and I think she sees that in Kev,” Moody told Hello! magazine. “To have her energy and presence here today is just a fantastic thing for this community. To be able to have someone of her stature… to recognize the work they are doing, because it is tough at times.”

The Princess Royal was then charged with banging a drum seven times to signal the start of the next leg of the ultra marathon.

Seven is a significant number for Sinfield and his efforts in relation to motor neuron disease. His activism was inspired when his friend and former teammate, Rob Burrow, was diagnosed with MND in 2019. Burrow wore the No. 7 jersey throughout his rugby career with England and the Leeds Rhinos.

Burrow died in 2024, just a few months after Prince William presented him with his Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), the highest-ranking award in the Order of the British Empire, excluding knighthoods and damehoods.

Sinfield was also presented with a CBE for his activism efforts when the Prince of Wales surprised his friend with the royal honor at Headingley Stadium, their former home field, on Jan. 11, 2024. Since meeting the late athlete and activist, William has also officially opened the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease and wrote the foreword for a book written by Burrow’s wife, Lindsey.

Prince William meets rugby coach Kevin Sinfield (2nd R) and former rugby league player Rob Burrow (front) to congratulate them for raising awareness of Motor Neurone Disease (MND), and award them with the Commander of the British Empire (CBE) during his visit to the Headingley Stadium on Jan. 11, 2024Credit: Phil Noble - WPA Pool/Getty
Prince William meets rugby coach Kevin Sinfield (2nd R) and former rugby league player Rob Burrow (front) to congratulate them for raising awareness of Motor Neurone Disease (MND), and award them with the Commander of the British Empire (CBE) during his visit to the Headingley Stadium on Jan. 11, 2024
Credit: Phil Noble – WPA Pool/Getty

William and Kate Middleton — who served as the patron of the Rugby Football League — had an outing on Tuesday, Sept. 29, where they met with Sinfield and the Leeds Rhinos to learn how the team and the Leeds Rhinos Foundation are using the power of sport to improve health, education, inclusion and well-being in the community.

“The team is everything,” Sinfield said, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post, after being welcomed by Prince William and Princess Kate at the finish line of his third run. “I can’t do what I do without all of them.”

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Sinfield also paid tribute to the Prince and Princess of Wales, both 44, for their advocacy. “Prince William, Princess Catherine — you’ve been such big supporters of the work we’ve tried to do. You’ve been such big supporters of Rob, Lindsey and the full Burrow family.”

“To have you here today is incredible and brings real credibility and awareness to the MND community,” he added. “With that credibility, we can do even more.”



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