Prince William Just Knighted a National Hero — And His 3 Kids Would Love Their Dad For It
Prince William hosted an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on June 25, where he knighted Sir Gareth Southgate for his honorable services to English soccer. The Prince of Wales also awarded veteran and Prince Harry's pal, Jaco Van Gass, with a prestigious OBE during the ceremony. But it’s Southgate’s knighthood that would surely make his children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, very proud of their dad.
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William's latest royal duty would likely earn him some serious cool points with his children, as they are known to be passionate soccer fans. According to People magazine, after years on the field, 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. At the Euro 2024 final, George joined his father last summer to cheer on England, while Charlotte and Louis watched the game on TV in personalized jerseys. The Prince of Wales has also worked closely with Southgate as president of the Football Association, a role he held for nearly 20 years before becoming patron last year.
William has spoken about watching football matches with his children in a March 2025 interview with The Sun. He said, "If I’m home alone with the children...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 around the house quite quickly, and I put the children in different positions, hoping that’s going to change our luck." He also revealed that his youngest, Louis, is rooting for five different teams, and George supports the Ashton Villa F.C. team. He added, "I’m trying not to be biased, but obviously, they see how passionate I am about it, and they watch the matches with me."
When it comes to his daughter Charlotte, the young Princess is an ardent fan of the Chelsea F.C., rather than supporting the Aston Villa team like her father and older brother. As per Hello! magazine, the news was revealed by a child who met her during a charity event in 2015, saying they high-fived the Princess because "she supports Chelsea and I support Chelsea." The Prince of Wales, meanwhile, roots for the Aston Villa team and explained why in a 2015 interview. He said, "I wanted to have a team that was more mid-table, that could give me more emotional rollercoaster moments. Aston Villa's always had a great history."
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Coming back to William's latest knighthood, Southgate bowed before the Prince of Wales as part of the formal knighting tradition, receiving a tap on each shoulder with a ceremonial sword. The Prince then put a medal around the football icon’s neck, and the two shared a brief conversation afterward. Southgate spoke highly of his honor and gushed, "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 is a very special moment for me."