The Duke of Cambridge attended a friendly match between England and France this evening at Wembley Stadium.
The Palace said that Prince William’s decision to attend was “a chance to pay tribute to the bravery and resolve of the French people”. The father-of-two decided to attend as President of the FA, following the barbaric terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday.
William sings the french national anthem this evening. Still from ITV
The Duke stood to sing the French national anthem, La Marseillaise, with the rest of the stadium, as well as senior politicians including David Cameron. The anthem was displayed on screens so that those attending the match, including England fans, could sing along.
Numerous landmarks across Britain, including Wembley, have been lit up with the French tricolore of red white and blue to show support against ISIS for the attacks. The same has been done across the world.
Earlier in the day, Prince William signed the book of condolence at the French Embassy with his wife, Catherine, calling the events in Paris ‘heartless’.
William took a wreath onto the pitch in honour of those who died in the attacks, alongside England coach Roy Hodgson. A silence was also held before the match.
A Palace statement stated: “Tonight’s game is a chance to pay tribute to the bravery and resolve of the French people and the French team, who were of course affected directly by Friday’s attacks.
“Continuing play on Friday after the first bomb went off saved many lives and foiled the terrorists’ plan to take advantage of a panicked response at the Stade de France.
“Going ahead with tonight’s game is a powerful message of Britain’s friendship and partnership with France in the face of people who are intent on dividing societies.”
The HDI Arena in Hannover, where the Germany vs Netherlands match was to be played, was evacuated earlier this evening, following a ‘concrete’ threat to the match and its security. A suspicious package was found outside the stadium. There have also been reports of a fake rescue vehicle being parked close to the stadium, in fact a bomb itself.
Chancellor Angela Merkel was due to attend the match, to also show her support for the people of France following the attacks. The German football team was escorted away from the stadium by police, and Mrs Merkel’s car was diverted to a safe area before she arrived.
