Reason why Prince William didn't attend Women's World Cup final
Reason why Prince William didn't attend Women's World Cup final
Unfortunately it's more heartbreak for English football as the Lionesses fell short of World Cup glory Down Under.
Spain came out on top with a narrow 1-0 win thanks to a 29th minute goal from Olga Carmona at Stadium Australia on Sunday.
The final also saw England goalkeeper Mary Earps save a penalty, but England were unable to capitalise from there - much to the disappointment of fans that had travelled to Australia and ones back home.
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While there were thousands of England fans Down Under to cheer the Three Lions on, one notable absentee was Prince William.
Some have even criticised the prince for not attending, including Piers Morgan.
The Prince of Wales, who is the President of the FA, has worked closely with the Lionesses in the past, presenting them with their medals after England's European Championship final win last year.
He also visited the team back in June at their St George’s Park training centre to wish them good luck before they left for Australia.
In recent years, William has become a regular attendee to England fixtures and football marches in general.
However, the prince was nowhere to be seen when Sarina Wiegman's side took on Spain in Sydney this morning.
William posted a good luck message to the Lionesses to social media ahead of the final, where he apologised for his absence.
William said: "Lionesses, I 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 have achieved and the millions you've inspired here and around the world. So go out there tomorrow and really enjoy yourselves."
Meanwhile, smiling Charlotte then added: "Good luck Lionesses!"
As per the Daily Mail, it was 'not considered a diplomatically sound move - both on a family and political level' for William to travel to the final.
A source told the paper: "It was a finely balanced decision. The Prince of Wales hasn't visited since 2014 so he would wish his next trip to Australia to be a substantial visit.
"He met them [the Lionesses] in St George's Park before they flew out and he has been supporting them throughout the tournament by sending private good luck messages to the manager and team."
It has also been claimed that William was concerned about his carbon footprint, knowing that he will travel to the US next month.
Nonetheless, Prince William took to Twitter following the game to say that the England team has done the nation 'proud' despite the result.
He wrote: "Although it’s the result none of us wanted, @Lionesses you have done yourselves and this nation proud.
"Your spirit & drive have inspired so many people and paved the way for generations to come. Thank you for the footballing memories."
Topics: Football, World Cup, Sport, Prince William
Callum Jones