William and women's football

[Nono22972]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12413893/amp/Prince-William-not-attend-World-Cup-final-watch-Englands-Lionesses-face-against-Spain.html

One again, William's neglecting women's football. The Lionesses made history. It is the first time that the English team (male or female) reached the World Cup final since 1966. We all know that if the men had reached the final, he would've been there and probably would've brought George with him.

Queen Letizia and her daughter Sofia will be attending. What's William's excuse? You are président of the Football Association.

This is really disappointing but I'm not really surprised. The young generation of royals are such a joke compared to previous generations. Yes, the Queen’s children had their controversies but when it comes to royal work, they always got the job done.

Most of the stories about Anne were related to her shagging around in the way that all the aristocracy do with impunity rather than corruption, associating with the crusty and very seedy Euro billionaire set (including Charles and Juan Carlos) and procuring under age girls for sex. However it was a good distraction from Philip's philanderings and Charles' dubious connections, just as Harry stories appeared when Charles was trying to improve Camilla's image and William's. The spares and fringe are always sacrificial to the line of succession.

I suspect the reason Anne gained public respect is because she was regularly seen doing the actual job of hand shaking, ribbon cutting, turning up to be seen at events for which she is patron (STC, Scottish Rubgy etc) in all weathers. ie the job for which we, the tax payers, award them the staggering wealth privileges which enabled them to build up the billions. I cannot imagine Anne missing a major tournament for Scotland.

I'm surprised they didn't pay off the families in the dog incident. That would be normal practice in those circles - bung some money, shut them up. The corgis were pretty notorious ankle biters.

The influence and control exerted by the palaces over the media is massive. The idea that they are as "at risk" of exposure as any other celeb is for the birds.

I agree - (a) and (b).

I thought dragging Charlotte into the rubbish video but not George (who as a boy can't possibly be interested in girls' football) was feeble.

I've been amused by the mutating excuses though.

Firstly "on holiday, family time" for the umpteenth time in the year.
Then its "the environment" from a couple who routinely use helicopters in the way that common folk use Ubers, or jet off on long haul trips for personal reasons.
I'm just waiting for a petulant release saying "there was a private memorial service for the late Queen and now we had to tell you" or similar alongside another staged photo of them pretending to board a charter flight.

He is chair of the FA, the dates of the competition have been long planned and were known, there was always a likelihood that England would have a very good competition. He just didn't want to make it happen. The fact that he can't dispatch the spare is entirely of his own making but having dispensed with the spare, he needs to start doing the job himself.

The influence and control exerted by the palaces over the media is massive. The idea that they are as "at risk" of exposure as any other celeb is for the birds.

I look at the way the papers (reporters and commentators) have gleefully piled in on William this last week for no other reason than there’s an angle they can write about, and they know that criticism of William sells (i.e. drives clicks), and wonder how people can genuinely believe that the palace have control over the media?

The pictures of Queen Letizia extending the hand of sympathy to the English team really rubbed it in that there was no senior English or British figures there

The President of the FA doesn't have to be a member of the royal family. But it does need to be someone who will show up to World Cup finals when their nation is playing.

This.

I think so many people are missing the wood from the trees when they are talking about the Princess who missed the match because she’s in the military. William is President of the FA. Do you not think it really is a bad look that the President of the English FA did not attend a World Cup in which England were playing? If the President is unable to attend important events like these due to whatever excuse perhaps this is not the right position for the President and should be handed to someone who will show up. Another good point someone I tend not to agree said with is that the President of the English FA will be the future Head of State for the UK - I think country patronages perhaps need to be taken from the Royal Family because of this very issue.

I do wonder if Scottish football fans of whatever gender were cheering on Spain or does sex trump nationalism ? Prince Charles BTW spent a term learning the Welsh language at Aberystwyth University - William chucks in a few badly pronounced words from time to time.

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a29616071/prince-charles-welsh-tutor-edward-millward-the-crown-season-3/

Another good point someone I tend not to agree said with is that the President of the English FA will be the future Head of State for the UK - I think country patronages perhaps need to be taken from the Royal Family because of this very issue.

I tend to think it’s the FA itself who should get to make the decision about who their patron is. And they seem quite happy with Prince William.

Precisely - we’ve already had our Scottish compatriots expressing dismay as to Williams’s position - I think the English FA should think long and hard about it.

Especially seeing as increasingly geopolitics will come into play and will be tricky for a future head of state to navigate. Makes sense not to put them in that position to begin with.

When you are in the frame for gongs, knighthoods and maybe more I can't see you rocking the boat. My good memory has just remembered that he got on a last minute plane to Singapore in 2018 to help with the World Cup bid in its final hours. Haven't read that elsewhere yet !

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1334887/2018-World-Cup-bid-Prince-William-David-Beckham-Prime-Minister-victory-sight-England.html

To have the future king of England saying, "Have we got your vote?" is a good weapon, and he has a wedding coming up, too! To have him here, and the Prime Minister, it doesn't get much better than that.' Beckham said he feels the 'expectation of our country' on his shoulders and while the secret ballot points to England taking on Spain in the final vote, it looks too close to call. The Russians certainly appear to be in disarray in the wake of Vladimir Putin's decision not to come to Zurich.

They have also been quick to replicate Palace releases, sources "close" to the throne/royals etc.
The public outcry has been such that they could hardly not comment.

OTOH look at the coverage of royal shenanigans in the foreign press most of which never appears in the British press who are too fond of their access privileges to risk annoying the source of those privileges. Its hardly a secret that journalists/press who breach "the rules" lose all access.

KP will leap on that as their get out of jail free card.

"After long and careful deliberation and with consultation with His Majesties Government and as a Prince for all our kingdoms it is with great sadness that I feel it would no longer be appropriate to remain as President of the English Football Association. It is with great pleasure that I am able to announce that the role is to be assumed by Sir David Beckham. I know you will all join in wishing him the best for the job. "

OTOH look at the coverage of royal shenanigans in the foreign press most of which never appears in the British press who are too fond of their access privileges to risk annoying the source of those privileges

Actually I think that’s mostly because the British press know very well that they risk being sued by the palace or wrist slapped by their regulator if they publish stories and pictures which breach the UK’s defamation and privacy laws.

It’s no coincidence that it’s the foreign media that publish the intrusive photos and the completely speculative stories.

My good memory has just remembered that he got on a last minute plane to Singapore in 2018 to help with the World Cup bid in its final hours.

So fulfilling his job requirements as President of the FA then (according to many of the posters here)? Shouldn’t you be happy about that?

The point I was making is that he has reacted quickly to get on a plane to advance the cause of English football, so there is precedent and adds fuel to the fire that had this been a men's final he would almost certainly have been there. Anyway it's too late now he can't turn back time.

@Serenster the British press publish made up and speculative stories all the time. The difference is they support the narrative the king and heir want to push.
The foreign press are simply more critical. Although in a lot of cases they simply don't care about the royal family so only publish big stories like the affair or Elizabeth's death.

I do think what is the point of a president of the FA if they don't even attend the final of a World Cup that britain are playing in. It's the major gig as it were. If the president won't attend that then the position may as well not exist.

My good memory has just remembered that he got on a last minute plane to Singapore in 2018 to help with the World Cup bid in its final hours.

So fulfilling his job requirements as President of the FA then (according to many of the posters here)? Shouldn’t you be happy about that?

Yes - I’m pleased he did his job in 2018. This actually makes his non appearance for the women in 2023 even more glaring. There is no getting away from the misogyny here. Many commentators indeed will be using this as an opportunity to beat William with a stick - sure. My issue is and will continue to be the way the women’s game is treated as less than in many ways - the non attendance at the final by the President of the English FA and the Prime Minister is especially egregious. (Think about no matter which way you slice it - had this been the men’s World Cup - the date of the final would have been in both of their diaries as a date to possibly be available to show up and the fact that it very obviously wasn’t is telling)

Gosh, it really does make everything worse does;t it? That he did that in 2018. I can't believe he's got this so wrong with all the people he has around him.

The whole thing is just such a PR misfire.

Blaming his dad and lying that he's not allowed to visit Australia before Charles does (so how come Anne has made visits since Charles became King?).

William's tendency to grab his daughter and thrust her into the public eye any time he's mildly criticised is so gross and exploitative. So transparently a distraction technique.

@AcesBaseballbat and lots of people on MN repeated the lie as a fact.

I have to say... I was uncomfortable at him using his daughter like this. Talk about a knee jerk reaction, Charlotte coached what to say no doubt. It would've been better with them all being there, the whole family.

My whole thing is... so predictable he would've been criticised for this own goal. Perhaps he just doesn't care?

They use their children all the time for pr. They are not going to stop now.

He and Charlotte gave a message last year to the lionesses for the euros. It’s not a new thing.

Why not him and George who is the future king?

He and Charlotte gave a message last year to the lionesses for the euros. It’s not a new thing.

The point is that if the children are to be used, the message that only using Charlotte as opposed to George, Charlotte (and Louis) is that women’s sport is only for women and girls to enjoy. And again puts into stark focus the inherent sexism of the general position women’s sport has been in the UK. (I generally am not a fan of using the children at all - but that’s for another thread)