Prince William, the Prince of Wales, recently shared a heartfelt message on Instagram to support the Welsh women’s rugby team as they prepared for their first match in the Women’s Rugby World Cup. He’s an enthusiastic supporter of Welsh sports and is committed to promoting the Welsh language. His encouragement is a testament to this continued resolve.
In his message, Prince William expressed pride in the team’s historical moment, saying, “Good luck to Wales Women as they kick off their Rugby World Cup campaign against Scotland today! Pob lwc, Cymru — ewch amdani!” He plays this debut down, hoping that it is seen as a turning point for Welsh rugby.
This statement of support goes hand in hand with Prince William’s recent moves. He’s been putting clear distance between him and his stronger competition by demonstrating his burgeoning Welsh language skills. On St David’s Day this year, he delivered a speech in Welsh for the first time with pride. It was to be his first speech in that language since assuming the title of Prince of Wales in 2022. During that celebration, he remarked, “Heddiw, ar Ddydd Gŵyl Dewi, rydym yn dod at ein gilydd i ddathlu Cymru – ei hanes, ei diwylliant, a’i phobl anhygoel,” highlighting the rich culture and heritage of Wales.
The prince’s continued use of the Welsh language shows how much he cares about forming a connection with the people of Wales. To that end, he’s been diving deep into conversational Welsh these last few years. His passion for promoting the language is infectious and his commitment is unwavering. Today, he is no longer signed up for intensive all-day Welsh immersion courses.
Arguably a more important way in which The Prince has supported Welsh sports came through his tenure as patron of Welsh Rugby Union. His passion for rugby carries over to home life as well. Prince George, 11, plays more competitively on a youth rugby team. At the same time, six-year-old Prince Louis has recently taken up touch rugby.
As the Women’s Rugby World Cup opened, the Princess of Wales made a similar move last week by sending messages of encouragement to her national team. She sent her warmest wishes to the Red Roses. They’re starting their Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign this evening! I can’t wait to cheer you on and watch as the team meets the challenge on home turf!
To this day, Prince William’s continued support of Welsh sports and culture strikes a chord with the population. His ability to speak the Welsh language would further link him to his role and responsibilities as Prince of Wales.
