Prince William‘s latest royal duty will be something to brag about when he gets home to his three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
The Prince of Wales, 43, hosted an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, June 25, where he knighted Sir Gareth Southgate for his services to English soccer. After years of playing the sport, Southgate led England’s men’s squad to the 2018 World Cup semifinals, the Euro 2020 final, the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals and the Euro 2024 final as manager.
Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, are all known soccer fans, likely earning Prince William some cool dad points at home. Prince George joined his father at the Euro 2024 final match last summer to cheer on England, while Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis watched the game on TV sporting personalized jerseys.
Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte at Trooping the Colour on June 14, 2025.
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Prince William previously revealed that his children play an important role in his soccer superstitions, especially while watching his favorite team, Aston Villa. Speaking to The Sun in March, William said: “If I’m home alone with the children, I probably don’t have the pre-match pint, but I do have a bit of superstition about where I sit when I’m watching them.”
“If we’re not doing very well, I start moving round the house quite quickly, and I put the children in different positions hoping that’s going to change our luck,” he added.
The investiture ceremony was likely a big moment for Prince William, who has spent time with Southgate as president of the Football Association, a position he held for almost 20 years before shifting his role to patron last year.
Southgate knelt before the Prince of Wales, who tapped him on the shoulders with a sword. William then placed a medal around the soccer star’s neck before chatting together for a few moments.
Kensington Palace shared a video celebrating the achievement, captioned, “Congratulations Sir Gareth Southgate on a well-deserved knighthood. From your Crystal Palace debut to being England Manager. Thank you for everything you’ve done for football.”
“I’m a proud Englishman, a proud British man, and to join such an amazing list of people who’ve received this honor and to be recognized by your country in a way like this, is a very special moment for me — and especially for my family as well,” Southgate, 54, said.
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Prince William and Sir Gareth Southgate on June 25, 2025.
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The coach stepped down from his role last summer after England were beaten by Spain in the Euro 2024 final, and he said after being knighted that he didn’t miss the job.
“It is a little bit strange, but also I’m not missing it,” Southgate told BBC Sport. “I think it’s important that I am on that sofa and out of their way, you know. It’s theirs to take on now, and I think it’s important that I give the team as much space as possible.”