The Prince of Wales and Sporting Charities 2: Sep 2022-

[Alison H]

Unfortunately, the final is being turned into a moanfest by certain groups of people. They're moaning because the Prime Minister isn't going. If he'd said he was going, these same people would be moaning that it was disgraceful that he was flying to the other side of the world to attend a football match instead of dealing with the economy/immigration/insert other issue of choice. And they're moaning because we've been told that there won't be a Bank Holiday if England win. If the decision'd gone the other way, they'd be moaning that the economy was being destroyed by having an extra Bank Holiday when we've only just had an extra one for the Coronation. And they're moaning because licensing laws aren't being relaxed to allow pubs to serve alcohol from 10am (it's usually 11am on Sundays), despite the fact that that would mean recalling Parliament, and it's pretty hard to justify getting all MPs and peers back to Westminster just so that people can have a beer an hour earlier. A Scottish radio station's tried to stir up trouble by asking the Scottish First Minister whether or not he wants England to win. And there are also a lot of questions being asked about why William's not going. A lot of the moaning is just points-scoring, but it's a very bad look that no member of the British Royal Family will be there, especially as William's the President of the FA.

 

[Curryong]

Just my opinion as an Aussie here. I do not believe that the referenda on a First Nations consultative body in our Federal Parliament had anything whatsoever to do with William’s decision not to attend. People ARE discussing it, and as a newly retired social worker I do mix with those who consider this issue vital. However, even there discussions haven’t reached any sort of fever pitch. The referendum will probably happen in late October. In other words there is no Civil War brewing here about the referendum. So (imo) that wouldn’t enter the calculations of those advising William.

Some of the arguments do hold water, basically I think if the World Cup was in Europe William would be there in a heartbeat. However, as it is, he thought, I believe, that his environmental credentials would receive a boost from his refusing to go to this World Cup. I think that was a miscalculation in assessing public and media opinion in Britain, as we are seeing now.

His other reason, imo, is that he did not want to travel for 24 hrs to Aus and 24 back plus a day and night in Sydney to attend the women?s final because it would take a large chunk off one week of the family holidays at this time of year.

And as he didn?t want to go for those two reasons, William used the carbon footprint reasoning/excuse not to. As I said, I think he and his advisers miscalculated. However it?s done now. If he changed his mind it would be seen as bowing to media and public pressure.

 

[ACO]

I think it is quiet right that he does not make such a long flight only to attend a Football game. Would not be very sustainable. He could also support them otherwise perhaps with a Video Message and receive them after they have come back home.

But he is flying to New York City in a few weeks for a summit he doesn't need to personally attend. Why is he the President of the FA if he can't be bothered?

I hope they not on vacation overseas and traveling in private jets...

 

[Somebody]

The Letizia argument might be good for making headlines but the fact that she is taking Sofia with her to me shows that she is not primarily going out of duty but mostly to offer her daughter, a huge foootball/soccer-fan, the opportunity to attend the finals of their national team.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

For future reference, the Prince of Wales's non-attendance at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 final match is also being discussed here:

Royals at the FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, July-August 2023

 

[Car8007]

I would hate to always be in this kind of no-win situation. He's damned if he goes and damned if he doesn't. Too bad he can't just beam himself to wherever. Would traveling overseas by ship (what about a sailing ship!) cause political issues?

 

[royalistbert]

First world problems

 

[Curryong]

I don’t think it can be dismissed as a First World problem. It’s clear that most British adults do feel strongly about it. And if the reactions in the YouGov survey are any indication William and his advisers got it badly wrong on this occasion. He should have broken into his summer holidays and gone to Sydney is the verdict of most.

https://yougov.co.uk/topics/sport/survey-results/daily/2023/08/18/ea88d/1

 

[Tatiana Maria]

I don’t think it can be dismissed as a First World problem. It’s clear that most British adults do feel strongly about it. And if the reactions in the YouGov survey are any indication William and his advisers got it badly wrong on this occasion. He should have broken into his summer holidays and gone to Sydney is the verdict of most.

https://yougov.co.uk/topics/sport/survey-results/daily/2023/08/18/ea88d/1

The survey question and results were:

England are playing in the Women’s World Cup final in Australia this Sunday. Do you think Prince William, who is the president of the Football Association (FA), should or should not be expected to attend the match?

52% Should be expected to attend
25% Should not be expected to attend
24% Don't know
​

The respondents were not asked if they felt strongly or not.

 

[Curryong]

Well, the respondents felt strongly enough about the issue to take the time and trouble to actually reply to YoGov’s survey rather than dismissing it by putting the phone down. And the fact that several newspapers have expressed unfavourable views about William’s absence is also significant as usually everything he does and says is regarded as being wonderful, by the tabloids at least.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

[...] It’s clear that most British adults do feel strongly about it.[...]

[...]
The respondents were not asked if they felt strongly or not.

Well, the respondents felt strongly enough about the issue to take the time and trouble to actually reply to YoGov’s survey rather than dismissing it by putting the phone down.

I see, so from your point of view, every topic on which polling is conducted is something which people feel strongly about.

And the fact that several newspapers have expressed unfavourable views about William’s absence is also significant as usually everything he does and says is regarded as being wonderful, by the tabloids at least.

Which newspapers have published editorials about his absence and "everything he does and says"? Or are you referring to opinion pieces by individual writers?

 

[Alisa]

He should of be there. What's the point in being President of the Football Association if you're not going to be there to support the team at it's pinnacle moment?

The Prince could have flown a low-carbon emission aircraft for the long haul and spend an day visiting a local charity he supports.

Sorry there are no excuses for this one.

 

[Alison H]

Sky News interviewed a royal historian about it last night. I thought that was slightly OTT, but it shows that it's a big issue.

Anyway, let's concentrate on the match. Come on the Lionesses!!

 

[shady lady]

He should of be there. What's the point in being President of the Football Association if you're not going to be there to support the team at it's pinnacle moment?

The Prince could have flown a low-carbon emission aircraft for the long haul and spend an day visiting a local charity he supports.

Sorry there are no excuses for this one.

Really? How do you know that there is not a very good reason why William isn't going?

 

[Archduchess Zelia]

Given the criticism he has faced in the last couple of days, I'm sure we would've known about that reason by now if there was one.

 

[leidi]

He should of be there. What's the point in being President of the Football Association if you're not going to be there to support the team at it's pinnacle moment?

The Prince could have flown a low-carbon emission aircraft for the long haul and spend an day visiting a local charity he supports.

Sorry there are no excuses for this one.

100% agree.
It feels as if the Wales still think/operate as when QEII was alive and they no longer have the luxury of skipping things just because they are "on holidays" or they need to "stay with the kids".
Nobody is telling them to abandon the kids, but they have to find a balance between committed, consistent royal work and their family lives, like all the other CP couples in Europe have done.
William is the 41 year old heir of a monarchy, who has been married for over a decade.
There's no excuse for him to behave as if he was still a 20-something man whose main occupation is flying helicopters in East Anglia and can only dedicate himself to his royal duties whenever he has the "time" to do it.

 

[shady lady]

Given the criticism he has faced in the last couple of days, I'm sure we would've known about that reason by now if there was one.

Not necessarily. It may be very personal.

 

[shady lady]

100% agree.
It feels as if the Wales still think/operate as when QEII was alive and they no longer have the luxury of skipping things just because they are "on holidays" or they need to "stay with the kids".
Nobody is telling them to abandon the kids, but they have to find a balance between committed, consistent royal work and their family lives, like all the other CP couples in Europe have done.
William is the 41 year old heir of a monarchy, who has been married for over a decade.
There's no excuse for him to behave as if he was still a 20-something man whose main occupation is flying helicopters in East Anglia and can only dedicate himself to his royal duties whenever he has the "time" to do it.

[…] ..but on what basis did you reach the conclusion he is "behaving" in such a fashion???

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, how do you know he does not have a very good reason for not attending?

Moreover, I suspect some of the people criticising him for not going, would now be here criticising him for attending if he had gone! It doesn't take Einstein to work that one out!

 

[Ista]

A couple of posts have been removed. While analysis or criticism is permitted, bickering between posters is tedious for other members to wade through and tends to derail the thread. Let's stick to discussion.

 

[royalistbert]

I can't believe it he didn't attend a football match. [.....]

 

[Maryrose]

I think people are upset by his not attending what was a big accomplishment for the women's football/soccer team. He is the president of the FA. He is a working royal. He lives an extremely comfortable life that he is not paying the bills for. It was a mistake not to take time out from his vacation to attend what was a huge success story for the team. I don't think the video with Charlotte was going to help either.

 

[Archduchess Zelia]

I can't believe it he didn't attend a football match. [.....]

[.....]

I think it's perfectly legitimate to be outraged about the fact that the president of the FA fails to show up for the biggest final his association's team can possibly reach.

 

[W.Y.CII]

He should of be there. What's the point in being President of the Football Association if you're not going to be there to support the team at it's pinnacle moment?

Embarrassing especially when the Spanish royal is here, the President of Spanish Football Federation is also here.

But then again I don't think his absence in the final is the biggest issue. The main problem I still think should be the overall poor PR planning and decision making. Yes either he go or not go there'll still be criticism but it doesn't mean his team is doing a good job.

 

[Hallo girl]

Well, the respondents felt strongly enough about the issue to take the time and trouble to actually reply to YoGov’s survey rather than dismissing it by putting the phone down. And the fact that several newspapers have expressed unfavourable views about William’s absence is also significant as usually everything he does and says is regarded as being wonderful, by the tabloids at least.

The YOU GOv survey that I completed asked about William and the final about half way through a survey for something totally different. So I didn't specifically complete a survey on whether or not William should go to the football.

Maybe they do telephone polling as well, I do not know.

 

[Hallo girl]

I think people are upset by his not attending what was a big accomplishment for the women's football/soccer team. He is the president of the FA. He is a working royal. He lives an extremely comfortable life that he is not paying the bills for. It was a mistake not to take time out from his vacation to attend what was a huge success story for the team. I don't think the video with Charlotte was going to help either.

Do you actually know that being on holiday is the reason for his non attendance.

 

[tommy100]

Yougov relies mainly on members who complete weekly polls on various things in the news that week and after certain news stories / elections etc. They also use their member to complete surveys for companies, brands etc which is how they make money. They ask a lot of questions about you when you sign up to be a member of their panel- religious beliefs, age, average income, married, have children, political affiliations etc so they can then use that to give detailed analysis of their results.

The question about William will have been part of their whats in the news/trending topics. People will have answered because if they are members doing so means they get points and when you get XXX number of points you get a reward/voucher. There won’t have been a bigger incentive or reward because its about William it would be the same as it is each day/week.

 

[Maryrose]

Do you actually know that being on holiday is the reason for his non attendance.

I honestly just assumed that since normally they are on summer vacation after Wimbledon that would be the reason but yes I actually don't know. They don't have anything on the royal calendar during this time. What excuse besides carbon footprint could he use to explain his absence? I don't think that not feel like going can be an excuse.

 

[Hallo girl]

I honestly just assumed that since normally they are on summer vacation after Wimbledon that would be the reason but yes I actually don't know. They don't have anything on the royal calendar during this time. What excuse besides carbon footprint could he use to explain his absence? I don't think that not feel like going can be an excuse.

I am not defending him not going/ going. All I am saying is we do not honestly know the reason. I believe in fairness and even handedness,

Assumptions can be made about carbon footprint, holidays, couldn't be bothered, not interested because it was the women and not the men but the bottom line there is nobody on this forum that knows the reason.

Just because something is not on the royal calendar does not mean that there is nothing going on, and if there are other things going on it could involve asking other people to reschedule, so a balance may need to be found.

As for polls, well they are not scientific.

 

[Prinsara]

I've seen William supporting the Lionesses and I don't blame him for not going (and I doubt they do, either). However, he has essentially self-banned himself from going to any potential future men's Cup finals. I'm not sure that was fully considered in advance.

It's all unfortunate, and he doesn't have the chance to make up for it by throwing them a victory party. But I think it will blow over.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

As for polls, well they are not scientific.

I am not sure what you mean by "polls are not scientific". Polling science is an established field, and "scientific" is a commonly used term for polls conducted using methodologies which accurately measure public opinion within a small margin of error.