Knighting Sinfield 'easiest decision anyone's had to make,' says Prince William

ByDaniela Relph

Senior royal correspondent

The Prince of Wales 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, Prince William spoke about his personal admiration for Sir Kevin, who recently completed seven ultra marathons in seven days.

It was his latest endurance challenge to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) charities following the death of his friend and former team-mate, Rob Burrow, from the condition in 2024.

"I think frankly he should have been Sir Kevin years ago," said Prince William.

"What Kevin does, is he can bind and glue communities together by being that leader. The more Kevs we have in this country the better."

The Prince and Princess of Wales were in Wakefield in West Yorkshire last month to see for themselves just how gruelling the seven ultramarathon challenge was.

William and Catherine surprised Sir Kevin as he completed the third of the 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," Prince William told the BBC.

"He's a top bloke, really nice guy, good, honest, kind, decent northerner and I love that about Kevin, that there is no ego with him. He is what you get."

Rob Burrow's MND diagnosis changed a relationship between team-mates into a public campaign to raise awareness.

Sir Kevin supported Rob and his family through the difficult progression of the disease, becoming an important fundraiser for the MND community.

"That lack of ego is really important in a world that everyone wants to show how amazing they all are… Kevin does it very quietly very subtly," explained the prince.

Prince William also told BBC Breakfast about writing to Rob Burrow's wife, Lindsey, and children, Macy, Maya and Jackson, after Rob's death. He said he was in awe of how Lindsey had coped with such quiet dignity.

He wrote the letter as a member of the Royal Family but also as someone who understood the anguish of losing a parent.

"Everyone grieves differently and every circumstance is different so you need to take your time over it," he said. "It's always better to say something around grief than it is to ignore it."

In November last year, I watched Prince William officially open the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds alongside the Burrow family.

The facility is dedicated to medical and holistic patient care as well as research into the condition. It was a deeply moving day for everyone there - but one filled with optimism.

"It was very emotional actually and, for me, doing personal, emotional work is more fulfilling," the prince said.

"For Lindsey, Rob and the family to ask me to come up and open the centre was not only very personally rewarding for me but really important that that circle was closed, and I really wanted to honour that."

In the BBC Breakfast interview, the prince also praised the courage and impact of the Scottish rugby union player, Doddie Weir, who did so much to raise awareness of MND before his death from the disease in 2022.

And there was also additional praise for William's aunt, the Princess Royal Anne, who has supported the MND community for many years.

Royal duty can be formal, even distant at times, but the story of Rob Burrow, his family and his friend Sir Kevin has clearly made an impact on a future King.

"He's a very kind, caring, human being but he's still a lunatic. How he manages all these things I don't know. He's gold dust he really is… if you could bottle it up and sell it, it would be priceless."

Thank You Sir Kev, Monday 26 October BBC One 20:00 and on iPlayer