William receives England shirt to mark 20th year as FA president

When the Prince of Wales presents the trophy to the winners of the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City at Wembley on Saturday, he will also be marking a personal milestone.

It has been 20 years since William, a passionate football fan, assumed the presidency of the Football Association, a role he took over from his uncle, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who is known to prefer golf.

To celebrate the milestone, the FA presented William with a shirt bearing the number 20.

The prince, 43, began his role with the governing body of English football in May 2006 and became its patron in 2024.

Andrew had held the position for five years and handed the role over to his nephew with the message: “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.”

Andrew stepped down from royal duties in November 2019 over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, the paedophile financier who was found dead in a New York jail cell earlier that year.

The FA managed to avoid any fallout from the scandal by switching the presidency to William long before Andrew’s fall from grace.

It is altogether a more natural fit for William, who is expected to go to the United States this summer to attend England matches at the World Cup if the team progresses through the tournament.

He is also expected to travel to Istanbul for the Uefa Europa League Final on May 20 between Aston Villa and the German club Freiburg. William is a dedicated Villa fan.

In recognition of his official role with the FA, William went to St George’s Park on Monday to meet the “team behind the team” supporting England’s World Cup campaign.

He met staff working behind the scenes under the England men’s manager, Thomas Tuchel, from coaches to analysts hired to shape tactics and performance.

He also spent time with the medical teams responsible for player welfare and recovery.

‘He’s so happy for us’’ — Prince William joins Aston Villa’s celebrations

In 2010, William gave a speech in Wembley at the FA Cup Respect and Fair Play Awards, saying: “Sport lies at the very heart of our national culture. It doesn’t matter what it is — snooker, cycling, cricket, football — whether a kickabout in the park on a Sunday morning, or at a great occasion such as this. Competitive sport, perhaps more than anything else in modern Britain, arouses people’s passions.

“It influences our daily lives, influences even the way we think about ourselves as a nation. Pride in our moments of victory, good grace on those — hopefully, rare — moments of defeat. Sport, and the way we play the game, is hugely important. It shapes our society.”

Click here to read article