The Prince of Wales received a special gift this week to mark his 20th anniversary as President of the Football Association (FA).
Prince William initially assumed the position in 2006, taking over from his uncle, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who himself held the role for five years.
So, in this afternoon’s FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City, William will be celebrating his own personal milestone, as well as the victors, as he hands out the prestigious trophy in Wembley.
To commemorate his anniversary, the prince visited England boss Thomas Tuchel and his backroom staff at St George’s Park to meet the “team behind the team” supporting England’s World Cup campaign.
William met coaches, analysts and medical teams, as he saw how Mr Tuchel shaped his tactics and looked after players ahead of the major tournament.
He was then presented with an England shirt with the number 20 on the back, commemorating his 20 years of dedication to the institution.
England kick off their World Cup on June 17 against Croatia – who knocked them out of the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 – in Texas.
William is expected to follow in his father’s very recent footsteps and make the transatlantic trip to support his home nation on football’s biggest stage.
The Prince of Wales received a special gift this week to mark his 20th anniversary as President of the Football Association (FA)
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KENSINGTON PALACE
When accepting the role at the FA some 20 years ago, the prince said: “I am really excited to be taking up this role. Football is a game I love playing and watching.
“It is also the national sport and generates extraordinary passions among millions of people.”
Handing the responsibilities over, Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, who is known to prefer golf, said: “I am delighted that Prince William will be taking over the Presidency of The FA, a position I have enjoyed holding for the past five years. It has been a pleasure to support The FA in promoting the game nationally and internationally.
“I am certain Prince William will be a real asset to the organisation, particularly in his ability to demonstrate the benefits of participation in football to young players.”
One aspect of William’s role at the FA is to hand over the trophy to the victor, as he did when Crystal Palace beat Manchester City last year
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GETTY
In 2024, William was announced as Patron of the FA, taking over from his grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, following her death in 2022.
A member of the Royal Family has provided additional support to the organisation’s Patron in this role since 1939.
The king-to-be is a devoted Aston Villa fan and is expected to travel to Istanbul next week, where his beloved side face SC Freiburg in search of their first European silverware since 1983 – meaning he is set to attend two cup finals in the space of five days.
Although Kensington Palace has not officially confirmed his attendance at the match in Turkey, insiders suggest the heir to the throne is almost certain to be there.
The prince could be seen struggling to contain his emotions as Aston Villa smashed Nottingham Forest last week
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GETTY“Did you see his face last week?” one Kensington Palace source said. “He will find a way.”
He was in attendance for Villa’s resounding victory over Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest in the semi-finals last week, where he could be seen displaying his usual emphatic emotion as his side completed a 4-0 rout.
He also met up with the England boss prior to kick-off. The pair previously met under the Wembley arch on two occasions, as Mr Tuchel guided Chelsea to two consecutive FA Cup finals – though lost them both.