Champion marathon runner Paula Radcliffe has praised Princess Charlotte for being a role model for girls in sport as she celebrated the “immense honour” of being made an OBE.
The three-time London Marathon winner was awarded her medal by the Prince of Wales at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Tuesday as she was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to sport.
Radcliffe said efforts to encourage women and girls in sport have come a long way, adding girls can be inspired to get involved by role models such as Charlotte, who is known to enjoy netball.
“One of the things that I did discuss with Prince William is that the fastest-growing age group for the London Marathon now is 18-29, which is phenomenal,” she said.
Several things can hold women back from running, the sportswoman added, including cultural differences around the world and guilt surrounding leaving the family home to train for races.
She said: “I think that mindset is really changing now and also safety-wise – there are a lot more moves to protect women when out running and women-friendly races and events as well as training groups.
“So, all of those are helping and I think role models as well … the Princess of Wales going out with the children, and particularly Princess Charlotte out exercising – I think that’s great to see them leading because a lot of people will be inspired by that and will go into sport.”
Last year, William told Hollywood star Eugene Levy that his 11-year-old daughter takes part in netball and ballet, adding: “Keeping them busy with sports and being outdoors is really important.”
Charlotte is reportedly part of an out-of-school netball team that competes at a high level across the country.
She is also known to play tennis and British wildcard Arthur Fery invited Charlotte and her brother Prince George to play the sport with him when they chatted while attending the Wimbledon men’s singles final.
As William presented Radcliffe, 52, with her medal, he shared with her his memories of watching her run while he was growing up.
“He was amazing,” Cheshire-born Radcliffe told the Press Association after the ceremony.
“He’d remembered that we’d worked together when Heads Together were the charity partner for the London Marathon, so we talked about people staying fit and how new technology has helped us to stay fit as we get older.
“He remembered watching me run as he was growing up, which is really very sweet.”
“There were actual moments that he remembered as well,” she added. “He was very, very genuine.”
Asked how it feels to be made an OBE, Radcliffe said: “It’s huge. I was not expecting it at this stage, some time after my career. It’s an immense honour.
“I got my MBE from the (late) Queen at Buckingham Palace, so then to come here to Windsor and get this one from the future King … we spend a lot of time focused on medals and gold ones that are within your control, and this is not something within your control.
“It’s an honour that’s given to you, so it makes it feel a little bit different and that much more special.”
Radcliffe said providing pathways into sport is something the UK does “very well”, adding: “The teams, the clubs, the volunteers that are out there – we just need the weather to play ball sometimes!”
Her comments come after multiple sporting bodies, including the Football Association, the Rugby Football Union and Team GB, announced they are joining forces to back a new initiative – the Equal Sport Project – to make the UK the leading country for women and girls’ sports.
Radcliffe set the women’s world marathon record at the 2003 London Marathon, finishing in a time of 2.15.25 – a record which remained unbeaten for 16 years.
Her decades-long career saw the sportswoman-turned-commentator scoop World, European and Commonwealth medals across 10,000m, 5,000m and cross country, and she is widely regarded as the greatest British female marathon runner in history.
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