Addressing the racism. Prince William spoke out against the “racist abuse” of soccer players that he witnessed during the Sunday, July 11, Italy vs England game.
After missing penalty kicks during the Euro 2020 final on Sunday, England players Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho were attacked online with slurs and harassing remarks.
“I am sickened by the racist abuse aimed at England players after last night’s match. It is totally unacceptable that players have to endure this abhorrent behaviour,” the royal, 39, tweeted on Monday, July 12. “It must stop now and all those involved should be held accountable.”
William, who serves as the president of the Football Association in England, signed the tweet “W,” showing that it was written by him and not sent by the Kensington Palace.
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall also chimed in, tweeting a quote on their official Clarence House account. “Recognizing the rich diversity of cultures which make this country so special — and in many ways unique — lies at the heart of what we can be as a nation,” the couple wrote, quoting Charles’s Windrush Day 2020 speech. “Well done @England on your fantastic #Euro2020 performance! You made us proud.”
The Duke of Cambridge was spotted at the match cheering on England along with Duchess Kate and Prince George. Following the loss, the father of three congratulated Team Italy.
“Heartbreaking. Congratulations @Azzurri on a great victory,” William wrote via Instagram. “@England, you’ve all come so far, but sadly this time it wasn’t our day. You can all hold your heads high, and be so proud of yourselves — I know there’s more to come. W”
Over the last week, William attended multiple events alone while Kate, 39, self-isolated after coming in contact with a person who tested positive for coronavirus. She stepped out for the first time after quarantining on Saturday, July 10, kicking off a sports-filled weekend with William at Wimbledon. The couple attended the women’s singles final, where they watched as Ashleigh Barty and Karolina Pliskova went head-to-head. Tennis icons Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova sat behind the duo.
The following day, the duchess returned to Wimbledon to watch Novak Djokovic and Matteo Berrettini‘s match, this time with father Michael Middleton.
