SUPPORT OUR JOURNALISM: Please consider donating to keep our website running and free for all - thank you!

Prince & Princess of Wales

Football and flying on a packed day for William

The last time they spoke, it was all a bit of a surprise. But the chats between The Duke of Cambridge and the members of the England Women’s Football Squad today were the result of a bit more planning. Prince William welcomed the Lionesses to Kensington Palace for a breakfast reception as the team came back from their campaign in Canada.

The Duke of Cambridge has welcomed the Lionesses to Kensington Palace

William, who is President of the Football Association, had famously called the women as they prepared for their semi final match against Japan to wish them luck and tell them they were an inspiration to many others. He was also among the first to offer his commiserations when they lost that crunch game, going out 2-1 to Japan after a last minute own goal from Laura Bassett, and told them then that ‘football fans around the country will…join me in sending their thanks to the Lionesses for what has been a thrilling ride’.

Today, he got to pass on his thanks in person as the Lionesses arrived at his London home at the start of a day of celebrations for the women who became only the third England football team ever t reach the semi finals of a World Cup. And The Duke of Cambridge made reference to the fact that the men’s team haven’t reached the final four of a World Cup since 1990 when he told the Lionesses today that ‘you showed the men how to do it – I really mean it’.

The team ended up third in the tournament after one of the most successful World Cup runs by an England team ever.  After their royal appointment, the Lionesses went on to meet the Prime Minister, David Cameron, at Downing Street before heading off to Wimbledon where they took their seats on Centre Court for an afternoon of tennis and bumped into David Beckham.

Meanwhile, William headed to Cambridgeshire where he spent the afternoon at IWM Duxford. The Duke was there to receive a newly restored Spitfire on behalf of the museum. The plane was originally built in 1939 and crashed near Calais the following year. It wasn’t recovered until the 1980s and was bought by American philanthropist, Thomas Kaplan. It has been restored at Duxford which will now become its new home.

The Duke of Cambridge also got the chance to meet some of the team who have rebuilt the plane which is now one of just a handful in the world which can still take to the skies. William also hopped into the cockpit for a look around at the work that has been undertaken.

His visit came as commemorations for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain get under way. Tomorrow, William will join The Queen and other members of the Royal Family at events in London for the anniversary. This busy few days of engagements for The Duke of Cambridge comes just ahead of his return, next week, to his new job as a pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

Photo credit: Beacon via Flickr