The Rugby World Cup 2015

Members of the Royal Family will attend a number of events and matches in support of the Rugby World Cup throughout the course of the tournament.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will host a reception for participating nations at Buckingham Palace in October. Her Majesty, accompanied by Prince Harry and The Princess Royal, will welcome representatives from each of the 20 competing teams and a selection of people involved in the organisation of the World Cup.

Prince Harry, who is Honorary President of England 2015 and Vice-Patron of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), will play an active role in supporting the tournament, which will include delivering a speech at Twickenham during the opening ceremony. He will also promote the participatory legacy for rugby at grassroots level, especially the opportunities for children and young people to enjoy the game.

The Duke of Cambridge will attend a number of matches with The Duchess of Cambridge in his capacity as Vice-Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union.

The Princess Royal, as Patron of the Scottish Rugby Union, will also attend a selection of matches accompanied by Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.

In addition:

Prince Harry will attend the Rugby World Cup Official Welcome Party, hosted by the RFU at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 17 September.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will attend the opening ceremony and match at Twickenham on 18 September.

The Duke of Cambridge will attend the Wales Team Welcome Ceremony at the Guildhall in London on 21 September

Prince Harry will visit an event in support of the All School's Programme in Exeter in October. The Programme is the RFU's major legacy programme for the tournament encouraging more state secondary schools to participate in rugby.

Members of the Royal Family, including The Duke of Edinburgh, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, Princess Eugenie, and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will attend a number of matches involving countries from the Commonwealth.

Further operational details about the above events will be issued in due course.