Prince Harry Snubbed From the FIFA World Cup ― and an Old Friend May Be The Reason
The tournament is set to kick off on June 11, but the Duke of Sussex might not get to be there for any of the action.
As a royal, Prince Harry may have enjoyed certain privileges during his time in the UK. However, he may not wield the same bargaining power anywhere else, especially not in the soccer stadium. Royal journalist, Rob Schuter, recently revealed that the Duke of Sussex has not been invited to the FIFA World Cup, and it’s because of his old friend, David Beckham.
The FIFA World Cup will kick off on Thursday, June 11, in Mexico City. The tournament will continue for over a month, traversing between Mexico and the US, but the Duke of Sussex might not get to be there for any of the action. Quoting an insider on his Naughty But Nice Substack, Schuter noted, “This isn’t about room on the guest list. Football picked its prince years ago, and that prince is David Beckham.”
The footballer's role as the probable reason for Harry’s absence from the World Cup stands is the latest sign that things are likely not well between the Beckhams and the Sussexes. The couple was seemingly good friends once upon a time, with the former even attending Harry and Meghan Markle’s dreamy wedding at St. George’s Chapel in 2018. However, their relationship reportedly fractured after the Sussexes accused the Beckhams of leaking stories to the British press. “David never forgave it. The accusation destroyed the trust. Once that happened, there was no coming back,” a source said.
The alleged split between the two couples seems to have quietly but firmly pushed the Beckhams towards the Waleses. The soccer icon has publicly supported Prince William’s initiatives, while Kate Middleton has often been seen in Victoria Beckham’s designs. An insider said, “The Beckhams chose William, and Harry knew exactly what that meant. The relationship has been over for years.”
As the days go by, FIFA World Cup matches will turn into a boiling pot of all the big names in the world, from billionaires to celebrities. Every name worth mentioning will possibly descend to the soccer stadiums, but Harry might not be one of them. He can chalk up the reason for that up to his rift with the “prince” of the sport. “If football has to choose between Beckham and Harry, it’s not even a debate. Beckham is football royalty. Harry is yesterday’s news,” the source added.
It was earlier reported that William and Middleton might not attend the FIFA World Cup either. The news was especially surprising since the Prince of Wales is a massive football fan, but it is believed the stress of such trips is the potential reason behind the absence. However, royal expert Emily Nash believes that the only instance that would make William travel stateside is if England reaches the finals.
