Prince William flew to Zurich to watch the Lionesses at the Euros

Prince William flew to Zurich on Wednesday to support the Lionesses at the Euros. The Lionesses are the defending Euro champions, but they lost their first round-robin match to the French team over the weekend (William didn’t go). He showed up for them yesterday, in his role as patron of the Football Association, and we’re not supposed to say “why didn’t he bother showing up last weekend?” At the end of the day, the Lionesses got the win, 4-0 over the Netherlands. William went into the women’s locker room afterwards:

Prince William celebrated with the Lionesses in their changing room after England’s emphatic 4-0 victory over the Netherlands in Zurich this evening. The Prince of Wales shared his delight on social media, posting: “A huge 4-0 win and what a set of goals! Well played @Lionesses ! #WEURO2025”. He accompanied the message with four photographs, including two showing himself with the triumphant team in the changing room.

The images captured the jubilant atmosphere following a crucial win that kept England’s Euro 2025 title defence alive after their opening defeat to France had threatened an early exit.

The Prince of Wales flew to Zurich on Wednesday to watch the Lionesses face the Netherlands at Stadion Letzigrund in their second Euro 2025 group match. William, 43, was spotted in the stands for the 5pm BST kick-off, having travelled alone without Princess Kate or their three children. His presence proved fortuitous as England delivered a commanding performance to secure the vital victory.

The future King had arrived in Switzerland just hours after helping host French President Emmanuel Macron at a state banquet at Windsor Castle on Tuesday evening. As patron of England’s Football Association, William’s attendance at the crucial fixture demonstrated his continued support for the women’s team.

The match carried enormous significance after England’s 2-1 defeat to France in their tournament opener, making them the first reigning champions to lose a Women’s Euro opening match. The permutations were complex, but ultimately anything less than a victory would have taken qualification out of England’s hands. A defeat would have been catastrophic, potentially resulting in the worst title defence in women’s Euros history.

[From GB News]

While William was there for the Lionesses’ Euro win in 2022 (which was held in England), William didn’t bother to show up for the women’s team at all when they fought their way to the Women’s World Cup final in 2023. They fell to Spain in the final, and Queen Letizia was there to help the Spanish team celebrate. Those images went all around the world, and William was widely criticized for refusing to leave his summer vacation for a few days to support the Lionesses. I’m just saying… if this is the only time William bothers to show up for the women’s team, we could get a repeat.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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27 Responses to “Prince William flew to Zurich to watch the Lionesses at the Euros”

  1. Tessa says:

    He did not take Charlotte along. People Magazine said Charlotte was “excited” about it but he did not take her. Not a good look for William.

    • Fran says:

      I don´t get this at all. My 8 year old daughter and my partner went to watch Germany play Denmark on Tuesday in Basel and she LOVED it. Yes, it was a two-hours trip each way on a school day and she didn´t get much sleep the nights before or after, but it was so awesome for her to have that experience and a great daughter-father-time.

      • BeanieBean says:

        That’s sounds wonderful! It’s an experience your daughter will remember her entire life!

  2. Blogger says:

    Polite clap but no jumping at the stands like at Aston Villa matches?

    Tell me you hate women’s sports without saying it. His look is all jubilation 😂

    Now I wonder if he was “forced” to attend this match. Is he getting a plastering on the AV online boards for being a pathetic FA patron?

    • Lurker says:

      What’s worse, Wales also plays in the Euros. Their first time. The same day, just a short helicopter hop from Zürich to St Gallen. And the frigging Prince of WALES couldn’t be bothered to go, or even to address them!

  3. Megan says:

    So when William goes to men’s matches he’s lazy and work shy, but when he goes to women’s matches he’s an a-hole for not showing up enough. Dizzying logic.

    • Becks1 says:

      Yes – because if the men had made the final in the world cup, william would have been there 100% no matter what. Even if he WASN’T FA patron he would have gone. I can’t even keep track of how many soccer matches he’s attended over the past year alone for the men’s team and Aston Villa.

      But he shows up to one women’s game expecting applause and praise for doing the bare minimum for the women’s team.

    • Dee(2) says:

      He’s lazy and workshy because he prioritized going to men’s matches over any other work. He’s their patron and they were in the World Cup he should have been there not continuing his vacation. It’s not dizzying logic. It’s pointing out the hypocrisy of what he values and prioritizes.

      Look at how he is in the stands here, versus being at an Aston Villa game. There is no jumping, no thrusted fists, no screams even though they had a shut out, and he didn’t bring any of his kids. He sees this as work and he doesn’t see Aston Villa as work that’s where the comparison comes in.

    • Blogger says:

      He should have never missed the WORLD CUP FINAL.

      The Spanish Queen showed him up over his lack of duty and lack of awareness. The horse has bolted. Unless Willy applies himself diligently to attending women’s matches every week during the season for the next 10 years, this is all performative.

  4. Yes isn’t vacation (again) coming up really soon? He probably will do the same thing not show up

  5. Becks1 says:

    This is one of those things that tells me he or someone on his team is VERY aware of the criticism he got for missing the World Cup two years ago. And after spending last summer and this winter/spring attending the national men’s team game and Aston Villa, he was probably pretty much ordered to attend. The fact that he didnt bring Charlotte (who is out of school for summer break) or even George tells me he really didnt want to go and wasn’t excited about it.

    and yes when you compare these pictures to him at a men’s game or an Aston Villa game – you can tell he really did not care about it.

    • Me at home says:

      Or Charlotte is living with Kate somewhere apart from William.

    • Blogger says:

      The rats haven’t posted about the cost to the taxpayer for this trip or the carbon emissions produced from his photo op. They’re missing out on clicks 😏

    • Tessa says:

      Charlotte and George should have gone or just Charlotte. Missed opportunity to let his daughter go someplace to watch a game with him.

  6. MSJ says:

    Awkward!!! He always looks awkward to me. 🤷🏽‍♀️

    “He accompanied the message with four photographs, including two showing himself with the triumphant team in the changing room.” 🤔

    • Blogger says:

      He was giving them a pep talk?

      I wonder if any Lioness player posted about his visit. It screams photo-op! Which is what the losing Lioness World Cup team said when they refused to meet with him upon their return.

  7. Josephine says:

    Everyday he looks more and more like a potato.

    • Hannah says:

      Funny you say that cuz I recently, genuinely and honestly, mistook him for his 61 year old Uncle Edward and thought holy f***balls, he’s crumbling apart

      I already think Uncle Ed looks like he is malnourished or ill (not to wish illness on anyone. Touch wood 🪵)

  8. Me at home says:

    I know we’ve been through this before, but what’s global statesman Willy doing in Switzerland when the Macrons are in London? I’m glad he’s finally supporting the women, although for sure he should have taken Charlotte. As Kaiser reported, the Lionnesses played a group game last Saturday and will play another group game this coming Sunday. You know Bulliam doesn’t want to stand around at Wimbledon watching Kate soak up love, so going to watch the Lionnesses on Sunday would be the perfect excuse. Meanwhile the 80-year-old Gloucesters are shepherding the Macrons around Guildhall. What gives?

    • Lauren says:

      The BRF is so weird about Stated Visits. Other royal families go all out for the full 2 days but the BRF only go all out for the welcome and state banquet. It’s crazy to me how many royal fans only watch the BRF because their lazy and inadequate even in comparison to other royal families

      • Becks1 says:

        honestly, I thought it was over bc the Royal Family was posting all this stuff about goodbyes and until next time etc. But the Macrons are still there, Charles et al are just done.

    • Meredith says:

      Maybe the Macrons have meetings with the PM once they are finished with the figureheads?

  9. QuiteContrary says:

    I watched the game on FS1 and his presence generated no excitement at all.

    He’s such a dud.

  10. Mslove says:

    Peg looks sad, is it because his friends aren’t there? I didn’t see them in the pics. This trip was a huge burden on poor Peg, lol.

  11. j.ferber says:

    You can tell he really hates women’s tennis. He looked somber and not once did he display the savage screaming and cheering he did for the lads’ team. Hypocrite. If you’re going to do it at all, do it with grace.” My husband’s father, whom I never met, said that. And William is the antithesis of this. He feels forced to go and and you can tell. You know what? Then don’t go at all. He is not spreading good will and enthusiasm for women’s sports. He didn’t bring his daughter. Such an ass. His soft power sucks.

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