Prince William surprises Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield with CBEs

The Prince of Wales has surprised rugby league legends Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield by awarding them with their CBEs during a meeting in Leeds.

Prince William met the pair at Headingley Stadium - the home of Leeds Rhinos and where both men used to play.

Burrow and Sinfield were awarded CBEs in the New Year Honours list for their motor neurone disease fundraising.

The pair have raised more than £15m for charities since Burrow was diagnosed with the disease in 2019.

"I brought your CBEs up here to give to you today if that's okay," the prince told them.

"While you're in your home, in Leeds, surrounded by your family and friends - I thought today was a good day."

Presenting Burrow, 41, with the honour, he said: "The most amount of thank yous and congratulations for all the inspirational work you've done Rob, you've been amazing and everyone's so proud of you."

Prince William met Rob Burrow and family alongside Kevin Sinfield during the royal visit to Headingley Stadium in Leeds

The prince spent time chatting to the pair about their rugby league playing days together

Sinfield, 43, has completed a series of epic endurance challenges, including his latest fundraiser which saw him complete seven ultra marathons over seven days.

His target was to raise £77,777, but thousands of donations helped him to reach £2.7m.

"A huge, huge congratulations, it's been amazing what you've done," he told the former player.

"The groundswell you've created in terms of fundraising and looking after each other and for MND is huge."

The prince added: "Make sure you look after your knees, your hips, and everything else, but it's been incredible."

'One Pint Willy'

Welcoming Prince William to the stadium, Burrow told him: "My children have been practising their curtesy and talking about meeting you all week."

Burrow joked about a nickname ex-rugby union star Mike Tindall had coined for the Prince of Wales - One Pint Willy.

Tindall made the admission while he appeared with his wife Zara, the prince's cousin, on Burrow's podcast.

The prince replied: "You got the nicknames out of him, he apologised to me about that."

Burrow, a former scrum-half who spent his entire professional career with the Rhinos, was diagnosed with MND two years after retiring from the sport.

Since then, he has campaigned alongside friends and family to fundraise and generate awareness of the disease.

The prince paid tribute to the pair's "phenomenal" fundraising efforts in recent years

Playing alongside each other from 2001 to 2015, Burrow and Sinfield won seven Grand Finals, two Challenge Cup Finals at Wembley and three World Club titles together.

Talking to the pair about their playing careers, the prince called them "quite a successful combination" and referred to Burrow as a player with "quick hands and quick feet".

"No one could catch you," he added.

After being described by the prince as an inspiration to the MND community, Burrow replied: "I can honestly say that I never set out to be an inspiration, I just wanted to try and help other people in a similar situation to me.

"I'm just trying to live my best life with the cards that I've been dealt."

Burrow was joined at Headingley Stadium by his wife Lindsey and their three children.

He added: "I wouldn't be here without the love and support of my wife Lindsey. She is stronger than any rugby player I ever played against."