William issues personal good luck message to the Lionesses ahead of Euro 2025

Western Telegraph

a day ago

William, who is patron of the Football Association, chatted with England Women's manager Sarina Wiegman and presented match jerseys to all 23 squad members at the St George's Park national football centre in Staffordshire.
In a brief personal address to the players, who face their opening group game against France in Zurich on Saturday, the prince said: 'I just want to say the best of luck to all of you.
'I have seen a few of you and said that to your faces. I know there is a good mixture of those who have been and done a few tournaments before and those whose first tournament it is.'
The Prince of Wales poses with squad members at St George's Park (Darren Staples/PA Wire)
William, who had earlier used a heat press machine to put the finishing touches to striker Aggie Beever-Jones's no 19 jersey, said the players he had met during Monday's visit seemed 'very relaxed and very together and with it'.
After Wiegman thanked the prince for his backing, William advised the team to 'go and enjoy yourselves'.
The Prince of Wales hands over a shirt to Leah Williamson during the visit (Darren Staples/PA Wire)
He told the players: 'I know there is a huge expectation on you now from your successes – that is good.
'I know how you are going to play – you are going to play with freedom, you are going to play with camaraderie and teamwork.
'I have been saying to a few of you, the men's team can definitely learn off your camaraderie and your team environment.
'You are brilliant together. You create a very unique unit… so hold on to that, treasure that, build on it because it's one of your greatest assets.'
The Prince of Wales speaks to manager Sarina Wiegman as he meets players and coaching staff from the England Women's team (Darren Staples/PA)
As well as being presented with replica shirts bearing the names of Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte, William watched football matches on an indoor pitch involving girls from local schools, including two in Birmingham, and chatted with those taking part.
He also spoke with the England team's kit manager, Kevin Fanner, about their shared service in the RAF as he tried his hand at printing team shirts, watched by Beever-Jones, fellow forward Michelle Agyemang and defender Maya Le Tissier.
William, who plans to travel to the tournament to support the team against the Netherlands, told the Lionesses they had inspired the young girls he had met and spoken with on the training field.
'You are the reason they have got into football,' he said. 'They are hugely inspired by what you have done – what you have created.'
The Prince of Wales prints a number on a shirt as he meets players and coaching staff (Darren Staples/PA)
Before his departure, the prince posed for a team photo outside the FA's training facility with the squad.Following the team photo, William asked England captain Leah Williamson about possible weather conditions in Switzerland and thanked staff for the gift of shirts for his children.
After earlier being told that he had left a slight crease in the jersey he printed a name on, William joked of the gifts: 'Hopefully the letters are already on those ones.'