The Princess of Wales is known for her flowing tresses and sophisticated updos – but during yesterday’s visit to Wakefield Rugby Club, she showed she can just as easily do fuss-free styles too.

After starting off the engagement with her locks down in waves, Kate, 44, later gathered her bronde hair into a neat plait, as she chatted with members of the public and posed for selfies.

The sporty look served her well into the next outing, which was a mindfulness walk in the Peak District.

Wearing sturdy boots, gloves and a baker boy hat – the Princess spent 45 minutes in freezing, wet conditions walking to and from Baslow Edge, at around 300m altitude.

Kate had spent the day visiting several organisations in the North of England to highlight the power of creativity, community and nature for those who have experienced trauma, isolation and poor mental health.

She has long championed such causes and emphasised how nature had helped her ‘heal’ from cancer treatment in a video series most recently released on her 44th birthday.

The Princess of Wales is known for her flowing tresses and sophisticated updos – but during yesterday’s visit to Wakefield Rugby Club, she showed she can just as easily do fuss-free styles too. Pictured later, during a walk in the Peak District

Her engagements across the North also saw her visit Wakefield Trinity’s ground, where she praised the club’s ‘gold dust’ support for its local community.

At the club, she met schoolgirls being put through their rugby paces, pensioners taking part in a quiz and teenagers at risk of being excluded from school. 

The future queen, who is patron of the Rugby Football League, was wearing a smart jacket and trousers for the visit.

This meant her participation was limited to chatting to girls during a break from their skills session for Wakefield’s Champion Schools competition – rather than getting stuck into the drills themselves.

Kate was quizzed about Princess Charlotte’s school activities as she stood beside the pitch in freezing temperatures, telling the young players: ‘She does loads of sport but not rugby.’

After starting off the engagement with her locks down in waves, Kate, 44, later gathered her bronde hair into a neat plait, as she chatted with members of the public and posed for selfies

Earlier during the visit, the Princess had her hair down in flowing, bronde waves

She also joked with the group about the physicality of rugby league, saying: ‘There’s not any other sport when you can say contact is a good thing.’

During the visit Kate sat down with a group of Wakefield supporters aged from their 60s to their 90s who are regulars at In Touch events run by Wakefield Trinity’s Community Foundation, the Super League club’s charitable arm.

The sessions help elderly people at risk of loneliness to socialise.

The Princess told them: ‘I love this, the league game is so embedded in community life and it’s so grassroots [and] interaction, and getting youngsters involved but also how clubs like this connect to the rest of the community.

‘They’re absolute gold dust really, and I’m so proud to help support the league across the country.’

She was even given a Wakefield shirt, prompting captain – and England player – Mike McMeeken to joke: ‘Now she has a Wakefield Trinity shirt she is an honorary member of the club!’

The day began with the visit to Family Action, of which she is a patron. Later, she talked about her ‘innate desire’ to be out in nature during a mindfulness walk in the Peak District. 

Catherine spoke about the perspective she gains from visiting the great outdoors during the walk with Mind Over Mountains, which offers mental health support through outside experiences. 

The Princess, who had made a point of checking whether participants still wanted to go ahead in challenging weather conditions, said ‘nothing’ would have stopped her getting out into the hills.

She has spoken regularly about the importance of the natural world in her life, including her own cancer journey and continuing recovery after chemotherapy.

After setting off through mud and puddles, the walking group paused for a short mindfulness session in which they were instructed to feel their feet on the ground and notice their bodies.