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Girls' football team meet Prince William in Saudi Arabia
Summary
During a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia, Prince William joined a training session for girls aged 10–15 in Riyadh and was asked whether the Princess of Wales had accompanied him; he said she had not. The visit included a crossbar challenge, the presentation of shirts for William and his children, and meetings with Saudi officials.
Content
Prince William visited a youth football training session for girls in Riyadh as part of a three-day trip to Saudi Arabia. He observed drills at Misk Sports City and spoke about women's participation in sport. A young player asked whether the Princess of Wales was with him; William replied she was not. The visit also included meetings with Saudi officials and other public engagements.
Key details:
- The prince met girls aged about 10 to 15 from youth squads at the Riyadh Training Centre and Misk Sports City.
- A player asked if Princess Catherine (the Princess of Wales) had accompanied him; William answered that she was not present.
- William took part in a light crossbar challenge and was presented with a Saudi national shirt plus smaller shirts for his three children with their names printed on the back.
- Saudi officials cited a reported 150% increase in women's sports participation since 2016, with over 330,000 registered female athletes nationwide.
- The visit included meetings with Dr Majid bin Al Qassabi, Prince Abdulaziz (Minister of Sport), representatives from the Misk Foundation, and an earlier dinner with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Summary:
The visit highlighted public engagement around women's sport in Saudi Arabia and featured informal interactions between William and young players, including a question about the Princess of Wales' attendance. Undetermined at this time.
