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Prince & Princess of Wales

“Serious conversation” surrounding Prince William’s possible Russian visit for World Cup after Russian Spy illness

Although Kensington Palace has not announced any firm plans for the Duke of Cambridge to attend the World Cup in Russia this coming July, he may be given a warning after the former Russian spy, Sergei Skripal was found unconscious.

If the incident that took place on Sunday when Skripal was found unconscious in Salisbury comes back as an attempt on his life by Moscow, the Foreign Office will warn the Duke, Prince Harry and any government official not to take the trip to cheer on England as first reported by The Telegraph. 

Sources at Whitehall did confirm that travel plans are a “long way off”, but agreed that Prince William would be advised against making the summer trip.

Boris Johnson also started a “serious conversation” in the House of Commons on the United Kingdom’s relationship with Russia.He said: “We will have to have a serious conversation about our engagement with Russia…thinking ahead to the World Cup in July, I think it will be very difficult to imagine that UK representation at that event could go ahead in the normal way, and we will have to think on that.”

Adding: “Honourable members will note the echoes of Alexander Litvinenko in 2006, and while it would be wrong to prejudge the investigation, I can reassure the house that should evidence emerge showing state responsibility then Her Majesty’s Government will respond appropriately and robustly.“I know members will have their suspicions and what I will say that if those suspicions indeed prove correct is that this Government will do whatever is necessary to protect the lives of people in this country and our values and our freedoms.

“Though I am not now pointing fingers, I say to Governments around the world, that no attempt to take innocent life on British soil will go unsanctioned or unpunished.”

The Chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Tom Tugendhat said that Russia had not been linked to the incident yet, but it “certainly bears all the hallmarks of a Russian attack”.

He continued, saying: “We are seeing a pattern here, in what the KGB would describe as demoralise, destabilise, crisis and normalise.

“This is a form of soft war that Russia is now conducting against the West.”

The 2018 FIFA World Cup will run from 14 June to July 15.
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Kensington Palace noted that no set plans for Prince William have been made yet.

The Duke did not attend the 2014 World Cup in Brazil but did attend an England game at the 2010 games in South Africa.