Kensington Palace

　　9 June 2016

　　Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It is an absolute pleasure to be here with you tonight to celebrate SportsAid’s 40th anniversary.

　　Some of you may know that I love sport. I love cheering on teams and athletes that I am passionate about. I love the physical challenge sport presents and the mental strength it gives us all.  And I love the way it so often brings people together to work as part of a team.

　　I suspect many of you in this room may feel the same. The brilliance of SportsAid is in really understanding just how much athletic competition gives to our country as a whole. By investing in young sporting talent, they ensure that there is a strong pipeline of inspirational heroes.

　　These athletes then serve as motivators to everyone in the UK to get involved, get active, and embrace the power of sport to make us happier and healthier.

　　With little over 50 days to go until the Games begin in Rio, the next Olympiad is almost here. As we did in London in 2012, we will see a new generation of sporting stars emerge into the spotlight.

　　We cannot wait to meet the next SportsAid champions – the next Chris Hoys and Katherine Graingers who will remind us all of the magic and power of sport.

　　So, thank you all for supporting the incredible work of SportsAid. I am immensely proud to be their Patron and I can’t wait to cheer on our team competing in Rio.

　　I do hope you enjoy tonight’s very special occasion.

　　Thank you.