Why Prince William broke royal protocol during Euro 2022 final
5 August 2022, 10:52
Lioness Fran Kirby says now is the time for girls football
The Duke of Cambridge celebrated the Lionesses' Euro win earlier this month.
Prince William is said to have broken royal protocol earlier this month when he appeared at the Euro 2022 final.
The Lionesses won 2-1 at Wembley on Sunday in a record breaking game, with Chloe Kelly scoring in extra time.
And the Duke of Cambridge watched from the sidelines and then handed the teams their winning medals.
As each woman picked up their accolade, William decided to give them all a hug to congratulate them.
- Lioness Georgia Stanway says she got 'a bit of stick' from new German team after Euro win
- Princess Charlotte joins Prince William and Kate Middleton at the Commonwealth Games
- Prince William celebrates 'inspirational' Lionesses after historic Euro win
According to royal etiquette, this is actually against the rules as senior members of the family are limited to handshakes during official engagements.
But royal expert and the former butler of Prince Charles, Grant Harrold, has said the prince did this on purpose.
He told OK!: "Historically, there was a rule with royals that you could look but you couldn’t touch.
"If you met a royal, you could look at them and if they offered you a handshake, you were to accept it.
"That was a lot to do with the mystique surrounding the family but also for security reasons, too."
Harrold added that the younger rules are gradually starting to replace the rules with more updated practices, as he added: “It won’t feel unnatural to William - if anything, it’d feel more uncomfortable if it was just a strict handshake.
"As well as this, seeing royals hug makes them relevant and modern.”
This comes after Queen Elizabeth sent a sweet message of "warmest congratulations" to the winning team on behalf of the royal family.
Football star Alessia Russo has said she wants to keep young girls inspired
She wrote: "It is a significant achievement for the entire team, including your support staff.
"The Championships and your performance in them have rightly won praise. However, your success goes far beyond the trophy you have so deservedly earned.
“You have all set an example that will be an inspiration for girls and women today, and for future generations. It is my hope that you will be as proud of the impact you have had on your sport as you are of the result today."
