Prince George Marks a Milestone with Dad Prince William Yesterday in France, Attending His First Sporting Event Abroad

Prince William and Prince George at the Rugby World Cup

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 15 October 2023

Sports have long been a way in which the Prince and Princess of Wales bond with their three children, and William took his eldest, Prince George, along with him for a surprise visit to Marseille to watch Wales compete in the Rugby World Cup. The father-and-son duo matched as they watched Wales take on Argentina at the Stade de Marseille yesterday; William is patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, and, per The Independent, yesterday’s match was significant, as “it marked the first time that George has watched an international rugby fixture in person overseas.”

“The prince was a mini-me of his father, with both wearing matching navy suits and red ties—the latter seemingly a patriotic nod to the Welsh side,” The Independent reports. William and George took in the game together in the Presidential Box, and it was likely extra special for George because he plays rugby himself at school. George was seen smiling ear-to-ear as he took it all in.

Meanwhile, Kate was in Marseille herself today, watching England play Fiji; Kate is the patron of England’s Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League. In February last year, George stood between his parents as they watched England battle Wales in the Six Nations, and, at the time, he was undecided on who to support. Asked at Twickenham whether he was Team England or Team Wales, George shrugged and smiled at William, who laughed and said, “It’s become quite the thing in the house,” pointing at Kate and adding, “She is quite into it. I’m trying to stay out of it.”

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George was not alongside mom Kate for today’s match, so maybe he’s made his mind up, after all, in the battle of England versus Wales. Unfortunately, Wales didn’t emerge victorious yesterday, falling to Argentina with a score of 29-17.

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Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.