Sir Kevin Sinfield received a knighthood from the Prince of Wales at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday.
He was one of 60 people honoured by Prince William at the ceremony.
The rugby coach and motor neurone disease (MND) campaigner was recognised for his services to the MND community, as well as for services to league and union rugby. Sir Kevin has so far raised more than £11 million for charity.
The former England rugby league captain said his late friend Rob Burrow would be “laughing” but “enormously proud” to see him receive a knighthood.
Sir Kevin said he was “massively humbled by the whole experience” and “very proud to accept it on behalf of the MND community and their families”.
The 46-year-old said William, who presented Sir Kevin and Burrow with their CBEs at Headingley Stadium in 2024, had been “fantastically supportive” of their campaign.
He said: “I think he 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.”
Sir Kevin was surprised by the Prince and Princess of Wales last week as he completed the last of his 7 in 7 running challenges (completing an ultra-marathon every day for seven days), inspired by former his Leeds Rhinos team-mate Burrow, who died in 2024 after living with MND for four and a half years.
Asked how Burrow would have felt to see him receiving a knighthood, Sir Kevin 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.”
Sir Kevin said he would now like to plan a run in Australia and New Zealand next year and “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”.
He said the reaction from the MND community to his knighthood had been “wonderful”.
“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 said he had not got used to the title “Sir Kevin” yet, adding: “I don’t think I ever will. It’s really nice, but every time I hear that, I go straight back why we started, and it was a run for a mate, with some mates, and that’ll never change, what we’ve been doing this last six or seven years.”
Retired British triathlete Alistair Brownlee was among the other sports stars to receive honours at the ceremony.
He was made an OBE for services to triathlon and charity. Brownlee is the only athlete to have won two individual Olympic gold medals in triathlon.
He is chef de mission for Team GB at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, which starts in Senegal at the end of the month.
He also founded the Brownlee Foundation with his brother Jonny – a charity which aims to inspire children from all backgrounds to enjoy sport.
Brownlee said it was “very special” to be at the ceremony.
He said: “I’ve been officially retired about two years now, and I’ve really enjoyed it. Doing sport was quite literally a childhood dream for me. And it was amazing, but also, I’ve really enjoyed being retired, enjoyed being able to do sport for fun at a slightly slower pace.
“And I’ve enjoyed getting involved in some other projects which are great.”
England footballer Michelle Agyemang, who helped the Lionesses win Euro 2025 in Switzerland, where she was named young player of the tournament, said it was “incredible” to be made an MBE.
The 20-year-old has been out of action with a ruptured cruciate ligament.
She said she was “getting very close to returning now,” and had been balancing working hard in the gym for her recovery with her university studies.
Read MoreDexter Fletcher making return to acting with part in Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen
William tries to prise Celebrity Traitors spoiler from Ross Kemp
Ross Kemp insists he had his ‘game face’ on during Celebrity Traitors
Badenoch vows to scrap inheritance tax on family homes and cut welfare spending
Pro-Palestine rallies in Edinburgh and Glasgow on October 7 attacks anniversary
