Prince William Bestows Knighthood on Kevin Sinfield in Moving Honor to Rob Burrow
Kevin Sinfield was knighted by Prince William for his fundraising efforts to support MND community.
Following his visit to Ilminster, Somerset, where he launched the National Emergencies Trust (NET) Ready Together toolkit to help communities prepare for natural disasters, Prince William made a special appearance earlier today. The Prince of Wales was at Windsor Castle to conduct an Investiture ceremony, where he reunited with Sir Kevin Sinfield. It was a particularly special occasion, as Sinfield formally received his knighthood.
The ceremony, conducted by the Prince of Wales, awarded Sinfield his knighthood after he made a remarkable pledge. The celebrated Rugby League icon has vowed to dedicate his remaining life to raising funds in honor of his late friend and former teammate, Rob Burrow. According to reports, the Palace acknowledged “his remarkable fundraising achievements for the motor neurone disease community,” celebrating the fact that he has raised over £13 million in just the last six years.
The fundraising initiative followed the rugby star's inaugural “7 in 7” ultramarathon challenge, which he launched after Burrow’s motor neurone disease (MND) diagnosis. Later, as Sinfield completed the third day of his challenge at the DIY Kitchens Stadium in Wakefield, he received a surprise visit from Prince William and Princess Kate, as reported by the BBC. The Prince and Princess of Wales stopped to chat with Sinfield and his team, with Kate telling him, “What you're doing is so inspiring, the unity that you're building.”
Furthermore, William praised the efforts of the celebrated Leeds Rhinos legend, telling him, “Make sure you hold yourself together for another few days.” Sinfield then joked about how he had actually been looking forward to resting in an ice bath all day.
Following the investiture, Rob Burrow’s wife, Lindsey Burrow, paid an emotional tribute to her husband’s dear friend. As reported by The Mirror, she said, “It's bittersweet that Rob's not here to see Kevin finish his final challenge, but Rob will be with us in spirit. It's a testimony to Kevin that he's so humbled to do this not just for Rob, but for the whole MND community. It's just incredible. I am in complete awe of the efforts of Kevin and his team over the last seven days—and not just over the last seven days, but over the last seven years.”
