Will Prince William ditch wedding for FA Cup final?
Prince Harry has the easy job Saturday, it seems, as he prepares to marry American actress Meghan Markle in Great Britain’s latest blockbuster royal wedding.
For his brother Prince William, the future king of the United Kingdom, things are a little trickier. Sports is to blame for a conflict that has complicated the big day for William, who is due to serve as best man for his brother, just as Harry did for him when he married Kate Middleton in 2011.
William, you see, has the role of president of England’s Football Association (FA) among his vast array of titles and duties. And Saturday, the area surrounding London will not only host Harry and Meghan’s nuptials but also soccer’s FA Cup final, one of the most historic and cherished dates on the British sporting calendar. This year, the matchup boasts Manchester United and Chelsea.
Every year, the FA president is expected to be on hand at Wembley Stadium to witness the game and, most importantly, to present the trophy to the winner. Ever since Harry’s wedding date to former Suits star Markle was announced, there has been much speculation as to what William might do.
“It’s a big decision, are we going to Wembley, or are we going to ...?” William was asked by former England national team soccer player-turnedbroadcaster Rio Ferdinand during an interview in January.
“You’ve touched on something there, Rio, yeah,” William responded. “I’m still working it out. I’ll see what I can do.”
In theory, it is possible he could attend both occasions.
The royal wedding is at noon London time (7 a.m. ET) and will be held at St. George’s Chapel, on the grounds of Windsor Castle.
Kickoff for the FA Cup final is 5.15 p.m., meaning William could make the
24-mile journey between the sites, either by police convoy or helicopter, watch the game, dole out the medals and still make it back in time for the later part of the wedding festivities. Given Harry’s legendary fondness for a party, those might go long into the night.
The Daily Express reported that the dual option was likely to be the final decision. However, William, his press representatives and the FA all have been quiet on the matter. Television channel iTV reported the opposite, that William would skip the Cup final to give the wedding his undivided attention. More than
600 guests will enjoy the wedding, but neither Harry’s friend and former U.S. president Barack Obama nor President Trump will be in attendance.
William is second in line to the throne, behind his 69-year-old father, Prince Charles. His grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, 92, is the longest serving monarch in British history, having spent more than 66 years on the throne.
He takes his duties as FA president seriously and has held the role for the past 12 years. In 2010 he was one of the figureheads of England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup, along with David Beckham and former prime minister David Cameron, but lost to the Vladimir Putin-backed Russia bid.
The Cup final is a chance for some welcome silverware for either Manchester United or Chelsea, with United having finished second in the English Premier League standings, well behind local rival Manchester City, and Chelsea suffering a dismal campaign and falling to fifth.
The EPL does not have playoffs but the Cup, a standalone knockout tournament held concurrently throughout the season, also carries significant importance. The Cup has been staged since 1871 and is the oldest national soccer competition of its type in the world.
The expected combined audience for the events has been estimated in excess of 2.6 billion, more than onethird of the world’s population.