The national soccer team of England lost the European Championship to Italy 3-2 on Sunday. After the game, some fans sent slurs to Black players Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, and Jadon Sancho, who missed their penalty kicks during the game.
The abuse sparked a formal police investigation of the abusive messages, which then caught the attention of Prince William, who attended the match with his wife, Kate Middleton, and son, Prince George.
“I am sickened by the racist abuse aimed at England players after last night’s match,” he wrote. “It is totally unacceptable that players have to endure this abhorrent behavior.”
I am sickened by the racist abuse aimed at England players after last night’s match.
It is totally unacceptable that players have to endure this abhorrent behaviour.
It must stop now and all those involved should be held accountable. W
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) July 12, 2021
“It must stop now and all those involved should be held accountable,” he added. Prince William, who currently serves as president of the Football Association in England, signed his tweet with a W to signify that it was his personal statement.
Following his tweet, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, chimed in and tweeted an excerpt from Prince Charles’ speech last year, which celebrated the contributions of British Caribbeans who arrived in Essex in 1948.
“Recognizing the rich diversity of cultures which make this country so special—and in many ways unique—lies at the heart of what we can be as a nation,” the couple tweeted.
Their tweets did not sit well with fans, who called out Prince William and the other members of the Royal Family for their hypocrisy. Some also questioned why they’re taking a stance now and not at the peak of Meghan Markle’s suffering when she was still in Britain.
“Whilst I appreciate Prince William speaking out about racist comments towards football players, where was this support when Meghan Markle was being bullied, even contemplating ending her life due to the comments,” one fan tweeted on their account.
Whilst I appreciate Prince William speaking out about racist comments towards football players, where was this support when Meghan Markle was being bullied, even contemplating ending her life due to the comments? #Euro2020Final pic.twitter.com/4NguVdcIpv
— tea_ 💗 (@ice_teaaa_) July 12, 2021
One follower also accused Prince William of loving the football players but not their people and heritage. “The black community would have welcomed this statement from William had he condemned racism in the UK,” the fan wrote.
In an explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in March, Meghan Markle spoke at length about the racism she had to endure from the royal family and the British tabloids. At one point, she admitted contemplating suicide due to severe depression.