Prince William has said awarding a knighthood to rugby league star Sir Kevin Sinfield was “probably the easiest decision anyone’s ever had to make.” Speaking to BBC Breakfast, the Prince of Wales praised Sinfield as “gold dust” who “should have been Sir Kevin years ago.”
Sir Kevin Sinfield (Credits: BBC Sport)
Sinfield was made a knight bachelor by Prince William at Windsor Castle in October 2026, capping years of extraordinary fundraising for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) charities. His latest feat — seven ultra marathons in seven days — pushed his body to its limits in honour of his late friend and former team-mate Rob Burrow, who died from MND in 2024.
Prince William on Kevin Sinfield’s Knighthood
William described Sinfield as a leader who can “bind and glue communities together,” adding: “The more Kevs we have in this country the better.” He recalled surprising Sinfield in Wakefield last month alongside the Princess of Wales, as the rugby hero completed the third of his seven ultra marathons.
“I don’t know how he keeps going, I’m worried about his knees, I’m worried about his hips. The guy is just a machine,” William said. He called Sinfield a “top bloke” — honest, kind and decent, with no ego despite his fame and fundraising millions.
A Friendship That Became a Campaign
Burrow’s MND diagnosis transformed a team-mate bond into one of Britain’s most moving public campaigns. Sinfield stood by Burrow and his family through the progression of the disease, becoming a central fundraiser and voice for the MND community.
William also spoke about writing to Burrow’s wife Lindsey and their children Macy, Maya and Jackson after Rob’s death, saying he was in awe of how Lindsey coped with quiet dignity. He reflected that it is always better to say something around grief than to ignore it.
The prince also praised the late Scottish rugby star Doddie Weir, who raised huge awareness of MND before his death in 2022, and his aunt, the Princess Royal, for her long support of the MND community. For William, Sinfield’s story is proof of what quiet, selfless leadership can achieve — “if you could bottle it up and sell it, it would be priceless.”
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.