Prince Harry to continue as patron for Rugby League despite stepping down as senior Royal with wife Meghan Markle
PRINCE HARRY has been backed to continue as a patron of the Rugby Football League as he prepares to make the 2021 World Cup draw.
On Thursday the Duke of Sussex is due to attend Buckingham Palace to draw the fixtures for next Autumn's tournament, which will be hosted at 21 venues across England.
It will be his first major function since announcing he and wife Meghan Markle will step back as senior Royals.
Despite the storm surrounding's Harry's increasingly bitter split from the Royals, RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer said: “I’m very hopeful his role with us will continue.
“We haven’t had anything negative from the Palace regarding our patronage, but there are plenty of wheels turning in the machine at this moment in time.
“I think his patronages will remain, but that could change.”
Harry was made a patron of the RFL in December 2016 and has been involved in numerous high-profile events such as the annual Challenge Cup final at Wembley.
Rimmer added: “I’d say he’s been enormously genuine in what he’s done.
“When we were first made aware of the fact he would become our patron, I contacted his office to ask if he’d present the Challenge Cup.
“The response was that he didn’t just want to turn up on day one and present the Cup.
“He wanted to do some work within the sport that made him more genuine before we got to that point.
“He’s done community stuff, some work at Headingley and some work with the England Performance Unit.
“When we got to the 2017 World Cup final he produced a video which we didn’t ask for, which we showed internally.
“It was a great piece of work, and every dealing I’ve had with him shows him as a thoroughly decent person who seems to have an affinity with the sport.”
Rimmer reckons rugby league will benefit from Harry making the World Cup draw.
He said: “There will be the eyes and ears of the world’s media on that event and I suppose the event will benefit from that.”
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Rimmer admitted there was still no decision to be made on who will lead England into next year’s World Cup.
Wayne Bennett has been in charge since the start of 2016 but his contract expired at the end of last year.
Rimmer said: “The board meeting is the 6th of February, the review will be completed and everything will hit the table there when a decision is made.”