Prince William attended the Emirates FA Cup final with his eldest son, Prince George, on Saturday just days after wiping his schedule clean due to Britain’s impending general election.
Over the weekend, the 41-year-old dad of three and George, 10, watched as Manchester City faced off against Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in a game ultimately won by Man United, 2-1. The royal duo were photographed watching tensely as the match unfolded. They also greeted players and coaches after the game, handing off the trophy to the victorious team.
The appearance comes after British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced late last week that the country would hold an unexpected general election, which Buckingham Palace responded to by announcing that both King Charles III and William would be canceling events.
For the country across the pond, it is customary for royal family members — who do not vote or publicly support political candidates — to hit pause on public outings in order to avoid official duties that would distract from an election season.
In a statement issued a statement to People, Buckingham Palace officials shared that the working royals will continue to cancel or postpone engagements that “may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign.”
That does not appear to include football soccer matches as the Prince of Wales and his young son — whom he shares with wife Kate Middleton — were dressed to the nines to watch the two teams from northern England play for the FA Cup title. William and the Princess of Wales, 42, also share Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6.
Before Saturday’s game, William was photographed on the field shaking hands and meeting players from Manchester United and their families. After the game, he handed out medals to the players from both teams, as well as the referees and coaches while George watched.
The step back into the spotlight follows a garden party held at Buckingham Palace by William on May 21, which many believed would be the last of its kind for a while due to the election. Charles, 75, ended up pulling himself from events on May 23 and May 24, while William also reportedly canceled another appearance last minute.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Sunak, 44, announced the election, which will take place on July 4. “Earlier today, I spoke with His Majesty the king to ask for the dissolution of Parliament,” Sunak, who took on the job in October 2022, said.
It’s another pause for the royal family members who are just now returning to some semblance of normalcy after medical issues rocked the monarchy’s foundation earlier this year. Charles only recently returned to public-facing duties amid his ongoing cancer treatment. He announced his diagnosis back in February and took several weeks off to recover from ministrations.
Middleton, who was also diagnosed with cancer, has remained out of the public eye while receiving treatment.
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