Prince William visited the England squad at their training camp on Monday,before they flew to Germany
Credit: Paul Cooper/AP
The Prince of Wales will travel to Germany to watch the England men’s football team play Denmark in the Euro 2024 tournament,Kensington Palace has confirmed.
Prince William,who is president of the Football Association (FA),will attend the second of England’s group-stage matches,at the Frankfurt Arena on June 20,the day before his 42nd birthday.
The Prince will not attend England’s first match – on Sunday,June 16,against Serbia – but visited the national squad to wish them good luck before they left for Germany earlier this week.
That first match falls on Father’s Day – and the Wales family place great emphasis on their private family life. It is also the day after Trooping the Colour,the major event in the Royal family’s annual calendar.
Harry Kane,England Captain,called the Prince “such a big supporter”,saying he had “been to a few camps now before the major tournaments and it just gives us extra motivation”.
William delivered an off-the-cuff motivational speech to the squad at St George’s Park,Burton-upon-Trent,when he visited on Monday.
Speaking afterwards,Kane said he expected William to be in touch throughout the tournament and to fly over to support them in person.
The Prince met Gareth Southgate at St George's Park
Credit: Paul Cooper/Getty
Kane said: “He loves it. I think he’s going to try to get out for some games if possible,if the schedule allows. He’s a big football fan.
“His kids are obviously big fans as well,now. They’ll remember their first,second tournament as I did when I was younger.
“He’ll be in touch,especially with the manager and some of the players and making sure that we’re doing a good job.”
“We know how much it means to the country,to the fans – and that’s everyone from the royal family to the local shopworker. The whole nation comes together at this moment.
“We feel a responsibility to try and make them proud,so the only way we can do that is to go out and give everything for this badge that we wear.”
Laughing,the Prince told the players his younger son Prince Louis had some advice for them: to double their portions at dinner time.
Prince William said: “I was on the school run this morning with the children and I said: what shall I say to the England team,I’m seeing them today?
“The best bit of advice I got,to ask you,was to eat twice the amount you normally would eat.
“So I then had visions of you running around,massive great tummies and loads of stitches on the pitch.
“So I think maybe take my youngest’s advice with a pinch of salt,particularly around the physio team.”
Prince William faced criticism in 2023 for not flying to Australia to attend the England women’s team’s World Cup football final against Spain.
2024-06-18