THE Prince of Wales said opening the new Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease in Leeds was “an absolute honour”.

Prince William praised the late Leeds Rhinos legend’s “incredible” work after being struck by the illness as he visited the facility at Seacroft Hospital in the city.

It is the first purpose-built centre dedicated to MND care, research, education and holistic support.

The disease, for which there is currently no cure, claimed England and Great Britain scrum-half Burrow’s life at the age of 41 in June of last year.

After being diagnosed in December 2019, with the support of his wife Lindsey and along with former teammate Kevin Sinfield, he raised awareness of the condition and more than £15million in funds for research and to support those living with it.

Sinfield, who like Burrow was honoured with a CBE at the start of 2024, has continued the campaign and starts his latest ultra-running challenge on Monday, December 4.

The Prince surprised Burrow and Sinfield by presenting them with their CBE honours at AMT Headingley Stadium.

Burrow asked him then if he would open the centre and the Prince promised he would.

He was true to his word, and told Burrow’s three children Macy, Maya and Jackson: “Rob’s legacy will live on. You should be so proud of your father. He really was an incredibly brave, very special man.”

The centre was made possible thanks to a £6.8million fundraising campaign, led by Leeds Hospitals Charity and Burrow’s consultant, Dr Agam Jung.

Following Burrow’s death, Leeds Rhinos said work to begin building it would “go ahead as planned at Rob’s request”.

The Prince toured the facility with Dr Jung, Lindsey Burrow and Sinfield and spent time with patients and their families.

“I met the (Burrow) family and Kevin in January 2024 for the first time in a very sweaty, smelly rugby changing room,” he told those at the opening.

“It’s been my pleasure to get to know them and follow their journey and be stood in one of the most incredible buildings that has been fundraised and supported by a few individuals who have gone above and beyond to make MND finally on the map and let us all understand what it is.

“I’m honoured to be here today and see it up and running in just over a year.

“It’s been an incredible fundraising effort from a huge team of people, none more so than Kevin, whose knees and hips have taken a battering, but has probably raised 40 percent of this building’s fundraising total.”

Next month’s challenge is Sinfield’s sixth. It will involve running more than 50km every day for a week.