Sinfield says late friend Rob Burrow would be 'enormously proud' after knighthood at Windsor Castle

Sir Kevin Sinfield said his late friend Rob Burrow would be "laughing" but "enormously proud" after Sinfield was made a knight bachelor by the Prince of Wales at an investiture at Windsor Castle on 7 October 2026. He was one of 60 people to receive honours at the ceremony.

Sinfield, 46, was recognised for his services to the motor neurone disease (MND) community and to rugby league and union after raising more than £11m for charity. The Prince of Wales had earlier presented Sinfield and Burrow with CBEs at Headingley Stadium in 2024, and William and the Princess of Wales surprised Sinfield during the third day of his 7 in 7: The Grand Finale challenge last week, when he completed seven ultra-marathons in seven days. The challenge was inspired by Burrow, his former Leeds Rhinos team-mate and friend, who died in 2024 after living with MND for four years.

Sinfield said the prince had been "fantastically supportive" of their campaign and spoke about royal backing for the MND community in general, saying: "I think [Prince William] champions pulling communities together, and I have seen how the MND community have come together on the back of Rob's diagnosis and several other high-profile sportspeople over the last six or seven years. "So his support and, obviously, Princess Catherine's as well, they've been wonderful and bring a real credibility to what we're trying to do."

Asked how Burrow would have reacted to the knighthood, Sinfield said: "I think he'd be laughing. "I think he'd be enormously proud of the support behind a campaign that he started, and we continue in his name. "I think he'd be really proud of it, the support, and the way people got behind what we tried to do, especially Prince William and Princess Catherine, and several other high-profile figures across the UK, and the world. "On behalf of all the MND families, Rob would just be delighted at how we've pulled together."

Sinfield described the reaction from the MND community as "wonderful" and spoke of personal encounters with families affected by the disease: "I felt very fortunate to have connected with a lot of families who are going through some real challenging times, yet still continue to be at the roadside or stopping me in the street for a chat to share their story. "So, I feel incredibly fortunate to be here today accepting this on their behalf." He added that he had not become used to the title "Sir Kevin", saying: "I don't think I ever will. "It's really nice, but every time I hear that, I go straight back to why we started, and it was a run for a mate, with some mates, and that will never change, what we've been doing this last six or seven years."

Also at the investiture, Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee of Dewsbury was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to triathlon and to charity. Brownlee, who announced his retirement from the sport in late 2024, previously described the OBE as a "great privilege" and said: "I am really proud of the role, hopefully, I've had in inspiring thousands of children to get into sport and live healthier lifestyles."

Sinfield said he would like to plan a run in Australia and New Zealand next year and to "ensure that collaboration is taking place between nations that are working incredibly hard to try and find a cure and to look after families better".