Prince Harry has met with players from one of the UK’s biggest gay rugby clubs last week.
A number of Manchester Village Spartans to the England Rugby event at Twickenham Stadium after taking part in the ‘Try For Change’ campaign, funded by England Rugby and Sport Relief.
The Village Spartans also received a training from England Rugby stars Jonny Wilkinson, Joe Launchbury, Danny Care and Sam Underhill, as Prince Harry watched from the Try line.
Gareth Longley added: “Prince Harry’s passion and enthusiasm for the game was abundant throughout our ten-minute chat.
“It was so motivating to be part of a gay rugby team chatting to such an important member of the British Royal Family and being encouraged to help other LGBT and straight members of our communities give rugby a try.
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“To receive such generous funding, support and active encouragement from the bosses and superstars of rugby makes us feel really valued and positive about the future of LGBT engagement in rugby.
“It also a masterclass to other sporting bodies in being proactive about inclusivity and getting more players from LGBT communities to fear less and try team sport.”
The royal family previously maintained a decades-long silence on LGBT issues, but Prince Harry and his brother Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, have shattered the barrier in the past few years.