The Duke and Duchess of Sussex joined more than 200 apprentices for the Coach Core Awards at Loughborough University in Leicestershire today.
The Evening Standard reports the couple have just returned from a weekend in Amsterdam. "At a Saturday night birthday feast for Jones at Cecconi’s, guests dined on lobster spaghetti and tiramisu. They also had a lavish Sunday brunch, as well as pampering treatments at the Cowshed spa. Their itinerary included a guided tour of the city’s red-light district on Friday night — not attended by the royals — and a boat trip down the city’s canals."
Upon arrival, the couple got straight into the sporting spirit...
...with a netball passing drill.
The Telegraph reports: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have gone head to head for the first public sporting challenge of their marriage, as they join youngsters for netball training. Joining two teams made up of teenagers on the Coach Core programme for a masterclass, they threw and caught netballs in a fast-paced game to help their new team mates score. As they finished and awaited the final scores, which saw the Duke's team win, they embraced in a hug before setting off to learn more about the programme."
A very sweet moment between the pair.
Established by the Royal Foundation in 2012, Coach Core aims to harness the power of sport, and its ability to change lives and empower young people. Driven by a desire to build upon the legacy of the Olympic Games, Coach Core was created by the Royal Foundation to inspire young people who are not in education or employment through sport, and create the next generation of sports coaches who will themselves go on to inspire their communities for many more generations to come.
Today Coach Core trains hundreds of young people across the UK through its scheme, which connects apprentices with the biggest sports clubs in the country. The apprentices learn technical sport skills alongside an inclusive and holistic approach to coaching, with an emphasis on employability and mentoring skills. Coach Core is proud to have transformed the lives of its apprentices with 98% of its graduates now being in full-time employment or education, and 80% retain strong ties with their employers and continue to engage in community sport. Apart from qualifications, participants gain the opportunity to grow, support from a network of professionals and the chance to develop personal qualities including leadership and confidence.
Meghan enjoyed the drills.
A video from the pre-awards meetings and drills.
Loughborough was an excellent choice for the awards. Sport has always been at the heart of the University since the creation of the College in 1909. Staying true to its founders vision (Herbert Schofield) that sport at Loughborough should play a part in each and every students life on campus. Over the years this has developed to encompass not just students but elite athletes, national governing bodies, the local community and of course in 2012 the official preparation camp for TEAM GB ahead of the Olympic Games. Loughborough has been named University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2019.The prestigious accolade recognises the very best universities in Britain.
The Duke and Duchess met some of the apprentices as they participated in team games, before meeting this year's graduates.
The Mail Online reports:
The day included masterclasses from sports stars such as marathon runner Paula Radcliffe, British tennis star Laura Robson and England netballer Eboni Beckford-Chambers. Apprentices participated in sports training and mentoring before the awards ceremony.
Today's royal visit coincides with fantastic news for Coach Core. Patricia Treble revealed Sport England has awarded the Royal Foundation a £1 million national lottery grant to double the reach of the programme. It's going to be invaluable in terms of expanding the programme across the country.
At the awards ceremony hosted by Jake Humphrey, graduates, new joiners and other apprentices celebrated their achievements in categories including Community Outreach Project of the Year, Graduate of the Year, Mentor of the Year, Educator of the Year and Apprentice of the Year. Meghan presented the Graduate of the Year award to Sebastian Vidal.
Meghan praised Harry's incredible work and dedication to the programme. "The Duchess said: "My husband has devoted so many years to Coach Core and in the past year of my being in the UK to be able to see not just the impact but the incredible inspiration and sense of purpose that this instills in people is astounding."
Harry presented the Apprentice of the Year award to a thrilled Kayleigh Batt before closing the event with a speech.
Prince Harry said:
Congratulations to all the nominees and winners.
The Duchess looked stylish in a gorgeous navy Oscar de la Renta blouse.
The draped blouse features a v-neckline with a tiered asymmetrical peplum waist. The piece is currently sold out.
The brand confirmed via Twitter.
Meghan teamed the blouse with the Altuzarra High-Waisted Boot-Cut Wool Pants she wore for the WellChild Awards earlier this month. The trousers retail for $795 at Neiman Marcus.
Meghan Maven identified Meghan's necklace as the £295 Pascale Monvoisin Cauri N°2 9-karat rose gold, onyx and diamond necklace. It's available at Net-A-Porter.
Made in France, the piece is described as: "Pascale Monvoisin draws inspiration from all aspects of her life - she spends her time traveling across the globe, visiting art exhibits and antique shops along the way. Handmade from 9-karat rose gold, this 'Cauri N°2' necklace features a shell pendant carved from 0.53-carats of glossy onyx that's inlaid with a dainty 0.01-carat diamond."
The Duchess accessorised with her Catbird stackable rings.
We'll see Meghan undertake a solo engagement tomorrow. The Duchess will attend the opening of ‘Oceania’ at the Royal Academy of Arts. ‘Oceania’ is the first ever major survey of Oceanic art to be held in the United Kingdom.
The Evening Standard reports the couple have just returned from a weekend in Amsterdam. "At a Saturday night birthday feast for Jones at Cecconi’s, guests dined on lobster spaghetti and tiramisu. They also had a lavish Sunday brunch, as well as pampering treatments at the Cowshed spa. Their itinerary included a guided tour of the city’s red-light district on Friday night — not attended by the royals — and a boat trip down the city’s canals."
Upon arrival, the couple got straight into the sporting spirit...
...with a netball passing drill.
The Telegraph reports: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have gone head to head for the first public sporting challenge of their marriage, as they join youngsters for netball training. Joining two teams made up of teenagers on the Coach Core programme for a masterclass, they threw and caught netballs in a fast-paced game to help their new team mates score. As they finished and awaited the final scores, which saw the Duke's team win, they embraced in a hug before setting off to learn more about the programme."
A very sweet moment between the pair.
Established by the Royal Foundation in 2012, Coach Core aims to harness the power of sport, and its ability to change lives and empower young people. Driven by a desire to build upon the legacy of the Olympic Games, Coach Core was created by the Royal Foundation to inspire young people who are not in education or employment through sport, and create the next generation of sports coaches who will themselves go on to inspire their communities for many more generations to come.
Today Coach Core trains hundreds of young people across the UK through its scheme, which connects apprentices with the biggest sports clubs in the country. The apprentices learn technical sport skills alongside an inclusive and holistic approach to coaching, with an emphasis on employability and mentoring skills. Coach Core is proud to have transformed the lives of its apprentices with 98% of its graduates now being in full-time employment or education, and 80% retain strong ties with their employers and continue to engage in community sport. Apart from qualifications, participants gain the opportunity to grow, support from a network of professionals and the chance to develop personal qualities including leadership and confidence.
Meghan enjoyed the drills.
A video from the pre-awards meetings and drills.
Loughborough was an excellent choice for the awards. Sport has always been at the heart of the University since the creation of the College in 1909. Staying true to its founders vision (Herbert Schofield) that sport at Loughborough should play a part in each and every students life on campus. Over the years this has developed to encompass not just students but elite athletes, national governing bodies, the local community and of course in 2012 the official preparation camp for TEAM GB ahead of the Olympic Games. Loughborough has been named University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2019.The prestigious accolade recognises the very best universities in Britain.
The Duke and Duchess met some of the apprentices as they participated in team games, before meeting this year's graduates.
The Mail Online reports:
'Isa Abdou, 20, who also met the duchess in March, said: 'She was really excited to see how we had progressed.'
She said Meghan gave her team a pep talk urging them not to be nervous: 'She told us to just be comfortable and relax, and she joked saying 'it's a competition, but not a competition'.'
The day included masterclasses from sports stars such as marathon runner Paula Radcliffe, British tennis star Laura Robson and England netballer Eboni Beckford-Chambers. Apprentices participated in sports training and mentoring before the awards ceremony.
Today's royal visit coincides with fantastic news for Coach Core. Patricia Treble revealed Sport England has awarded the Royal Foundation a £1 million national lottery grant to double the reach of the programme. It's going to be invaluable in terms of expanding the programme across the country.
At the awards ceremony hosted by Jake Humphrey, graduates, new joiners and other apprentices celebrated their achievements in categories including Community Outreach Project of the Year, Graduate of the Year, Mentor of the Year, Educator of the Year and Apprentice of the Year. Meghan presented the Graduate of the Year award to Sebastian Vidal.
Meghan praised Harry's incredible work and dedication to the programme. "The Duchess said: "My husband has devoted so many years to Coach Core and in the past year of my being in the UK to be able to see not just the impact but the incredible inspiration and sense of purpose that this instills in people is astounding."
Harry presented the Apprentice of the Year award to a thrilled Kayleigh Batt before closing the event with a speech.
Prince Harry said:
“Being a coach isn't just about helping an individual get active, or training the next person who's going to become a world record holder. “It's so much bigger than that. It's about being a role model; it's about being professional, relatable and inspiring.”
Sport does not discriminate. But lack of support and barriers to access do, which is why the role of Coach Core fostering this raw talent is absolutely vital. “Sport can inspire and invigorate, and as we have seen today, with the right opportunity, the right mentoring and the right focus, lives can be changed.”
Congratulations to all the nominees and winners.
The Duchess looked stylish in a gorgeous navy Oscar de la Renta blouse.
The draped blouse features a v-neckline with a tiered asymmetrical peplum waist. The piece is currently sold out.
The brand confirmed via Twitter.
Meghan teamed the blouse with the Altuzarra High-Waisted Boot-Cut Wool Pants she wore for the WellChild Awards earlier this month. The trousers retail for $795 at Neiman Marcus.
Meghan Maven identified Meghan's necklace as the £295 Pascale Monvoisin Cauri N°2 9-karat rose gold, onyx and diamond necklace. It's available at Net-A-Porter.
Made in France, the piece is described as: "Pascale Monvoisin draws inspiration from all aspects of her life - she spends her time traveling across the globe, visiting art exhibits and antique shops along the way. Handmade from 9-karat rose gold, this 'Cauri N°2' necklace features a shell pendant carved from 0.53-carats of glossy onyx that's inlaid with a dainty 0.01-carat diamond."
The Duchess accessorised with her Catbird stackable rings.
We'll see Meghan undertake a solo engagement tomorrow. The Duchess will attend the opening of ‘Oceania’ at the Royal Academy of Arts. ‘Oceania’ is the first ever major survey of Oceanic art to be held in the United Kingdom.