Prince William left 'scarred' by England Lioness after crunch tackle wiped him out
Prince William will be cheering on the Lionesses later as they aim to retain their title in the Euro 2025 finals. The Prince of Wales is patron of the Football Association and a huge football fan, supporting his beloved Aston Villa and not being able to resist a kickabout when the opportunity arises on royal duties.
But it seems he might have bitten off more than he could chew when he took part in a charity match several years ago when he came up against former Lioness and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here Queen of the Jungle, Jill Scott.
And the pair now appear to share a running joke after a mishap during that match left Sunderland-born Jill accidentally taking out the senior royal.
She previously explained: "It stems back to about 10 years ago when we did a charity event and I slipped and side-tackled him and actually wiped him out. The running joke whenever he sees us is, 'No yellow cards this tournament Jill!'."
A few years later, during a kickabout at Kensington Palace, William, 43, quipped that he still had a scar on his leg from the accidental tackle.
Jill is retired from football now, but is a regular pundit and TV personality. However, before she hung up her boots, she was part of the England Women's team that were victorious at the Euros back in 2022.
When she went up to collect her winners medal from William, the pair embraced in a big hug rather than a formal handshake as the future King congratulated her.
William will be hoping he will be congratulating the England women once again tonight as they take on Spain in the final in Basel.
Earlier in the tournament, he travelled to Switzerland to watch the England women's team in their group match against the Netherlands, which they won 4-0. And before they headed off for the championships, he visited the team at their St George's Park training ground.
After their extra-time win in the semi-finals against Italy thanks to a Chloe Kelly winner, he took to social media to say: "Brilliant performance @ Lionesses! One game from glory!"
In addition, King Charles also issued a statement after England booked their place in the final to send his congratulations to the team after reaching the final.
In a statement posted on social media, the King said: 'My wife and I join all our family in wishing you, the proud Lionesses, our warmest congratulations on reaching the final of the Uefa Euro tournament.
'Your journey to this stage has been nothing short of remarkable, showcasing the skill, determination (and test of nerve!) for which your team is so rightly celebrated. Knowing the Lionesses' fighting spirit, I suspect we are in for another thrilling encounter on Sunday.
'Your achievements continue to inspire countless girls and women across the nation, proving once again that with dedication and teamwork, anything is possible. Good luck, England. May you roar to victory once more. Charles R."
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Daily Mail
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Normally at this time of year the people of the Ionian Islands talk of being overworked and little else. With nearly three million tourists visiting the region during July and August, they certainly have their work cut out. Not that they'd have it any other way, of course. For more than a week, though, another topic, or rather a question, has dominated conversation in bars and tavernas, particularly on beautiful Kefalonia. Has anyone seen Prince William and his family? Locals swear blind that the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children George, 12, Charlotte, ten, and seven-year-old Louis arrived on the island by private Lear jet on July 16. Also in tow, others insisted, were the future King's in-laws, Carole and Michael Middleton. All were then driven to a waiting superyacht. And from there out to azure waters and, well, who knows where? Speculation has been rife. 'Oh yes, sure, I got a picture of their boat,' a taxi driver assures me. He flourishes his smartphone and a photo of the superyacht, Norn, cruising north of the capital Argostoli. He adds: 'It's owned by a Microsoft tycoon, a billionaire tech guy. I know for sure this is the one they're on.' Maybe. But wasn't the smart money on an even bigger boat? On July 19 stories began to surface in the Greek media of how the Prince and Princess were enjoying the largesse of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a prominent member of the UAE royal family. His £340 million 146-metre (479ft) mega-yacht, Opera, is said to be one of the most opulent private vessels in the world. It boasts every amenity imaginable and in some cases, like Noah's Ark, two of everything – including helipads. While the story was ignored by the British media, it was picked up around the world. The Delhi-based Hindustan Times, for instance, ran its account under the headline 'Prince William, Kate Middleton sailing around Greece on yacht belonging to Emirati sheikh'. 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What they really saw, they said, was not the Windsors but the Emiratis – something confirmed when the Daily Mail visited the roofless limestone Melissani Cave. There, cheerful gondoliers row tourists through a stalactite-lined cavern filled with brackish water of a startling ultramarine. One of the gondoliers says: 'It's fake news. The Arab royals and their children came and we closed the cave off for half an hour so they could have a private tour. 'But there was definitely no William and Kate.' It was a similar story at the restaurants on the island where the Prince and Princess and their children were supposed to have 'sampled delightful local delicacies'. Two expressed bemusement but promised a warm welcome should the royals drop by. A third said it was visited by an Opera crew member. 'Nobody from your royal family though,' said the manager. The Ionian Islands are steeped in rich mythology. Was the story of William and Kate's holiday proving just that – a myth? 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Last Tuesday was no different but this time there was a yacht moored about 100 metres or so from the shore and vaguely mindful of the stories of William and Kate, she decided to check it out. 'It was a possibility as a lot of celebrities come to this very spot. I think it was sometime after 11.30 in the morning,' she recalled. 'I swam out beyond the warning buoy and was about 30 metres (100ft) from the yacht when I saw them. Kate was standing on the top level with Charlotte and Louis. She was wearing a dark wraparound dress. 'There was an older lady next to them, possibly Kate's mother, but I wasn't able to see her well. 'I literally shivered with excitement. I was shocked, I couldn't believe it. 'Now I wish I'd called out hello to them. But I didn't, I got star-struck and couldn't get the words out. There was no sign of William or George though.' Did they see her? 'I think they must have done. I was the only one swimming that far out. 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