Duke of Edinburgh calls for more diversity in sport during Leeds visit

The duke and duchess during their visit to Headingley Stadium in Leeds

The Duke of Edinburgh has highlighted the importance of improving diversity and inclusion in sport during a visit to Leeds on International Women's Day.

Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, paid a visit to Headingley Stadium on Friday.

As part of their engagement, they met female rugby players and attended the Community Sport and Recreation Awards.

Speaking at the ceremony, the duke said: "We must do better to make everybody feel part of sport."

As part of their visit, the royal couple was introduced to Leeds Rhinos players and girls doing drills, Buckingham Palace said.

The duke and duchess also met Julia Lee, the UK's first female rugby league referee, and Lisa McIntosh, a former Great Britain rugby league captain, who was the first woman of colour to lead a British sports team.

The royal couple spoke to female rugby players about their experiences

They then joined the awards ceremony organised by the Sport and Recreation Alliance, which duke is the president of.

Giving a speech during the event, Prince Edward said there were still "negative" elements of the sporting community which need to be challenged and changed.

He said: "We can do better, we must do better to make everybody feel part of sport."

In a tribute ahead of his 60th birthday on Sunday, the duchess surprised her husband with a speech at the event in which she called him the "most loving of husbands" and "my best friend".