Prince William, Kate Middleton Support Rival Rugby Teams: Pics
Royal rivals. Prince William and Princess Kate were rooting for opposing teams at a Saturday, February 25, rugby match.
The Prince of Wales, 40, is the patron of the Welsh Rugby Union while Kate, 41, took over as patron of English rugby after Prince Harry stepped back from senior royal duties. So when Wales played England in the Six Nations Tournament at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, the rivalry was clear.
“It’s going to be a very tense journey home. If we win today my wife won’t speak to me. It will be a tense evening,” William joked with reporters ahead of the game.
England ultimately beat Wales with a final score of 20-10.
Ahead of the match, the duo unveiled a plaque for the Sir Tasker Watkins Suite, a space for injured players, in front of members of the Welsh Rugby Charitable Trust.
The Duke of Cornwall wore a dark suit with a red tie for the plaque unveiling, and he bundled up with a red scarf to show his support for his team during the game. Kate, meanwhile, wore a chic houndstooth red and white coat from Catherine Walker for the event. She wore a black turtleneck under the peacoat.
Their week started out at a much more formal event — the BAFTAs. William wore a velvet tuxedo jacket and Kate wore a white Alexander McQueen gown to the 76th British Academy Film Awards on Sunday, February 19.
While the pair often attend due to William’s position as BAFTA president, the 2023 ceremony also marked the first BAFTAs since Queen Elizabeth II‘s death in September at age 96. Helen Mirren, who played the monarch in several films, paid tribute to Elizabeth while William and Kate watched from the audience.
“BAFTA’s relationship with Her Majesty was longstanding and BAFTA would not be what it is today without her loyal support,” Mirren, 77, said. “In 1953, her coronation broadcast had the world watching. From that time, she was unquestionably the nation’s leading lady but as mysterious as a silent film star.”
While the touching tribute left the couple, who married in 2011, looking emotional, it was their red carpet flirting that made headlines. A TikTok video posted by Vogue showed the couple talking to each other after posing for photos on the red carpet. The Princess of Wales had a massive grin on her face as she quickly swatted his butt — a rare public display of affection for the private couple.
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Scroll down to see more photos from their rugby outing:
