Prince William Says Rugby Star Kevin Sinfield Should Have Been Knighted ‘Years Ago’

Prince William knights Sir Kevin Sinfield at Windsor Castle on Oct. 7, 2026Credit: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire ROYAL/APNEED TO KNOWPrince William says knighting Kevin Sinfield was “probably the easiest decision anyone’s ever had to make”The Prince of Wales knighted the former rugby star earlier this month after he completed seven ultra marathons in seven days to raise funds and awareness for motor neurone disease (MND)William also appears in an upcoming BBC special on Sinfeld, “Thank You, Sir Kev”Prince William says knighting Kevin Sinfield was “probably the easiest decision anyone’s ever had to make.”The Prince of Wales knighted the former rugby star, 46, earlier this month after he completed seven ultra marathons in as many days to raise funds and awareness for motor neurone disease (MND).“I think, frankly, he should have been Sir Kevin years ago,” the royal heir said in an interview that aired on BBC Breakfast. “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.”Sinfield’s motivation to take on MND as a personal cause began when his friend and former teammate, Rob Burrow, was diagnosed with the disease in 2019.He had plenty of royal support during his latest physical challenge for the cause. Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, both 44, cheered him on during his third day of the challenge at Headingley Stadium on Sept. 29, and William admitted he was in awe of the physical feat.“He’s a very kind, caring, human being but he’s still a lunatic,” the prince said. “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.”Prince WIlliam and Kate Middleton visit with Kevin Sinfield during his ultra marathon challenge at Headingly Rugby Stadium on Sept. 29, 2026Credit: David Cliff / Kensington Palace“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,” he added with a laugh.Prince William presented both Sinfield and Burrow with the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for their MND activism efforts in January 2024. Burrow died just a few months later, on June 2, 2024, at just 41 years old.The Prince of Wales opened up to the BBC Breakfast about writing a letter of condolence to Burrow’s widow, Lindsey, and their children, Macy, Maya and Jackson, following his death. He said he was moved to address them both as a royal supporter and as someone who could empathize with losing a parent at a young age.“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.”Prince William presents Rob Sinfield and Kevin Burrow with OBEs for raising awareness of Motor Neurone Disease during his visit to the at Headingley Stadium on Jan. 11, 2024Credit: Phil Noble - WPA Pool/GettyCan’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!Since Burrow’s death, the prince has stayed committed to the cause, helping Sinfield and Burrow’s family to open the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds last November.“It was very emotional actually and, for me, doing personal, emotional work is more fulfilling,” he told the BBC. “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 honor that.”Following the completion of his ultramarathon challenge, Sinfield affirmed his commitment to continuing to fundraise for MND, but admitted that, in the future, “It has to look different and it has to feel different.”“I made a commitment for life. I’m in this for life,” he added. “There’ll come a point where I can’t run.”For Prince William, knighting him was an honor well-deserved.“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, the prince said. “He is what you get.”Prince William knights Kevin Sinfield at Windsor Castle on Oct. 7, 2026Credit: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire ROYAL/AP“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 appears in a BBC special on Sinfield, Thank You Sir Kev, whichpremieres Monday, Oct. 26, at 8 p.m. on BBC One and iPlayer.Read the original article on People