The Prince and Princess of Wales continued the royal tradition of supporting British athletes as they competed at the Olympics — although this year they cheered from afar
Kate Middleton and Prince William are supporting team Great Britain in the 2024 Paris Olympics from afar.
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William — sporting a bold new beard — and Kate joined other notable British celebrities (along with American rapper Snoop Dogg, who has been covering the Summer Games for NBC) in a video posted on their X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday, Aug. 11, ahead of the closing ceremonies in Paris.
“From all of us watching at home, congratulations to team GB!” the Princess of Wales — who wore a casual white shirt with black stripes — said in the clip.
“Well done on all you’ve achieved. You’ve been an inspiration to us all,” added the Prince of Wales, who was dressed in a blue polo shirt decorated with the Olympic rings.
“Well done @TeamGB, what an incredible journey! Every athlete showed immense dedication, heart and passion. You made us all so proud!” Prince William and Princess Kate, both 42, wrote in the text of the post. “Here’s to celebrating every triumph at @Paris2024 and looking forward to more from @ParalympicsGB later in the summer.”
The post also included a British flag emoji alongside a gold medal emoji. William and Kate’s three children — Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6 — did not appear in the video, but several British athletes and celebrities including David Beckham followed the royals in the video with their own messages of support.
There was speculation that Kate and William might make a surprise appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The couple has been keeping a low profile this summer, spending time privately with their three children. While their attendance remained uncertain, it was thought to hinge on Princess Kate’s ongoing cancer treatment, as she had mentioned having “good days and bad days.” Whether their children would join them in France was also unclear.
William’s bearded look comes as he and Kate are off-duty for August and have been on vacation with their kids. The Prince of Wales is usually clean-shaven, as was standard grooming protocol during his time in the Royal Air Force where facial hair is forbidden. However, he did surprise fans on Christmas Day in 2008 with a scruffier look that he quickly shaved.
His late grandmother Queen Elizabeth was reportedly not fond of facial hair and insisted her husband, Prince Philip, shave the beard he grew during his solo Commonwealth tour in 1965.
William and Kate are known for their sporty sides and have passed their passion for athletics down to their kids.
The Prince of Wales has attended several soccer games through the spring and summer, most recently attending the UEFA European Championship final in Germany with George on July 14. William — who was the president of the Football Association, the governing body of soccer in England, before recently switching to the role of patron — brought his eldest son to see England play Spain at the game. The father and son’s shared enthusiasm was palpable, and they shared a hug when England scored. Meanwhile, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis watched the soccer championship from home, as seen in a photo shared on social media.
Soccer has reportedly been a source of joy for Prince William as both his wife Princess Kate and his father, King Charles, are undergoing treatment for cancer.
“He has been hugely buoyed by the results of Aston Villa,” a close source previously told PEOPLE. “You shouldn’t overlook the importance of soccer in these moments.”
July 14 was a sporty day for the family, as Princess Kate also attended the Wimbledon Tennis Championships with Princess Charlotte and her sister, Pippa Middleton, in London. The outing marked the Princess of Wales’ second public appearance this year as she continues cancer treatment, and she was welcomed into the stadium with a standing ovation.
Princess Kate, as patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, continued the tradition of distributing trophies to the winners following the finals.
The royal mom hinted at her family’s fandom for tennis when she met men’s singles final champ Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the clubhouse after. “We’ve watched a lot on telly, so it’s great to finally get to meet you,” Princess Kate said in a video shared by Wimbledon.
Prince Louis didn’t tag along for either outing, likely because of his age. Prince George and Princess Charlotte didn’t make their Wimbledon debuts until the age of 8, hinting that their little brother might have to wait a bit longer for a spot in the Royal Box.
Many members of royal families have popped up at the Paris Olympic Games in recent days, including Queen Mary and King Frederik of Denmark, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and King Felipe and Queen Maxima of Spain.
Prince William’s aunt Princess Anne has been representing the British royal family in Paris. King Charles’ sister became the first member of the British royal family to participate in the Olympics when she competed in horseback riding events at the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal. She’s remained closely connected to the international competition since, including as a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1988.
Princess Anne’s daughter, Zara Tindall, followed in her footsteps by competing in equestrian events for Team Great Britain at the London Summer Olympics in 2012.
Several royal family members including Prince William, Kate and Prince Harry were there to watch Zara win a silver medal for the team event, where she memorably received her prize from her mom.
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Source: The Wall Street Journal
