Prince William's Appearance at Women's Soccer Final Feels Like a Response to 2023 Backlash
Prince William is making up for a very big 2023 controversy that had royal critics in a tizzy. He and Princess Charlotte made a supportive appearance at the UEFA European Women’s Championship game on July 27 between England and Spain.
The father-daughter duo made the perfect pair to champion women’s sports, especially since the 10-year-old royal is a budding athlete herself. The Prince and Princess of Wales’ Instagram account noted their attendance with an adorable snapshot of the family members. The caption read, “Let’s go, @lionesses! ????????????????????????????”
Prince William’s support was likely appreciated by the women’s teams, but just two years ago, he took a lot of heat for his decision to skip the World Cup final. The England women’s soccer team made it to the final for the first time in nearly six decades, and many people expected his presence in Australia as the president of the Football Association. Instead, he stayed with the royal family at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
LBC News anchor Nick Ferrari criticized the royal for not making the trip. “Spain can send its queen and her daughter, who I assume is a princess, and we send the culture secretary Lucy Frazer,” he said. “If it was the blokes, you would have everybody there. You’d possibly have the king. You’d certainly have Prince William, who’s the chairman of the FA. They’d all get out there, but not, it would appear, for the girls.”
The Football Association is one of William’s high-profile patronages, and the women deserve as much support as the men. Mandu Reid, leader of the Women’s Equality Party, accused the royal family of sexism to the Daily Mail in 2023.
“The President of the Football Association, Prince William, isn’t bothering to attend, licensing laws haven’t been relaxed, there won’t be a screen at Trafalgar Square, and there’s been no word of any kind of large celebration should they win,” she said. “This last-minute scramble to show support for the Lionesses by our leaders isn’t just embarrassing, it reveals how little they think of women’s sport. You can guarantee that there’s no way the men’s football team would be treated with such disregard and disrespect.”
Instead of being there in person, William shared a video on X with Charlotte by his side — it felt like too little, too late.
“Lionesses, we want to send you a huge, good luck for tomorrow, we’re sorry we can’t be there in person, but we’re so proud of everything you’ve achieved and the millions you’ve inspired here and around the world,” the Prince of Wales said in the clip. “So go out there tomorrow and really enjoy yourselves.”
The Lioness team lost in the final to Spain that year, but hopefully William and Charlotte’s Sunday support helps them to victory in 2025.
Before you go, click here all the biggest royal scandals in the past 50 years.