It was the perfect moment to spend some precious one-on-one time together. And as the Prince of Wales was joined by Princess Charlotte at another major sporting event, their close bond was clear to see.
Father and daughter cheered in delight as England's Lionesses roared to a 3-1 victory against Spain in the final of the UEFA Women's Euro tournament, winning the trophy for a second consecutive time.
They had flown to Basel, Switzerland, to watch history unfold, two weeks into the school holidays. And the pair looked happy and relaxed together as they took in a thrilling penalty shoot-out win for Sarina Wiegman's side from a box in the St Jakob-Park stadium.
Looking tanned and relaxed, the Prince and Princess appeared to enjoy every minute. William was seen whispering something to his smiling daughter, and she looked animated throughout, holding her hands over her face at one point and pumping her fists in delight when Chloe Kelly scored the winning penalty.
Regal meeting
Charlotte, ten, sat next to her father, a few seats away from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Princess Leonor of Spain and her sister Infanta Sofía. She had met the siblings before the match, posing for photographs with them, in what was the first meeting between William and Kate's daughter and Leonor, the future Queen of Spain.
© TwitterIt came just a fortnight after Charlotte was introduced to the teenage Princess's father, King Felipe VI, at Wimbledon, where she accompanied her brother Prince George and their parents.
"William and Catherine know that there will be photographers at these events and crowds watching, and it's a lot for a young person to take in, but Charlotte seems to be handling it all very well," says royal biographer Robert Jobson.
"She is still very young, so it's nice to see her enjoying herself with her father. She looks very happy and confident with him."
© Getty ImagesCharlotte watched as her father, who is patron of the Football Association, commiserated with the Spanish team and congratulated the Lionesses during a medal ceremony on the pitch.
They then stood together on the sidelines, William putting a protective arm around his daughter's shoulders, to watch England's captain, Leah Williamson, lift the trophy, triggering ecstatic celebrations on the winners' platform.
Charlotte was seen holding one of the winners' medals and inspecting it closely as her father congratulated players, including the Arsenal striker Michelle Agyemang, who was named Young Player of the Tournament.
Back in the UK, the King led tributes to the team, sharing his "most heartfelt congratulations" on social media.
"For more years than I care to remember, England fans have sung that famous chant 'football's coming home'. As you return home with the trophy you won at Wembley three years ago, it is a source of great pride that, through sporting skill and awesome teamwork, the Lionesses have made those words ring true," he wrote.
"For this, you have my whole family’s warmest appreciation and admiration. More than that, though, you have shown through your example over past weeks that there are no setbacks so tough that defeat cannot be transformed into victory, even as the final whistle looms. Well done, Lionesses. The next task is to bring home the World Cup in 2027 if you possibly can!"
© Getty ImagesThe monarch's message was followed by one from his eldest son and granddaughter, who wrote: "What a game! Lionesses, you are the champions of Europe, and we couldn't be prouder of the whole team. Enjoy this moment England. W & Charlotte."
It was not the first time that the young Princess has shown her support for England’s women. Ahead of their victory in the Euros final against Germany in 2022, she joined her father to record a video message, telling the Lionesses: "Good luck! I hope you win. Bye!"
Star in the making
On a visit to St George's Park, the team's training centre in Burton upon Trent, ahead of that tournament, William told the players: "Charlotte wanted me to tell you that she is really good at goal. She said: 'Please tell them that.' She's a budding star for the future."
Indeed, her connection to the team goes back even further. She received her first England shirt – a gift from the Lionesses – in 2015, when she was just two weeks old.
© Getty ImagesWilliam has encouraged her interest in the sport over the years, telling winners of the Diana Award in 2019 that he had intervened when George told his sister he was better at football, telling his son: "Charlotte could be as good as you."
And in July, speaking to schoolgirls as he again visited the Lionesses at St George's Park, William said Charlotte was "not quite as into the football as the boys, but getting there".
Pointing to the future
Robert, the author of Catherine: The Princess of Wales, believes that this gentle encouragement could set up Charlotte for a future involving sporting patronages.
"There is no rush for Charlotte to take on a royal role, but there will be roles to fill in future," he tells HELLO!. "We know that she's quite sporty and she likes her ballet, so I would have thought that she might eventually take on patronages relating to sports, like her parents, and dance, like her late grandmother Princess Diana."
© PA Images via Getty ImagesMeanwhile, William and his wife the Princess are patrons of the Welsh Rugby Union and England Rugby respectively. Both are expected to show their support during this year’s Women's Rugby World Cup, which kicks off in cities across England in late August.
And royal fans will be hoping that the Wales children – all keen rugby players – might also get to enjoy the spectacle.
© Shutterstock"The Wales family are sport-mad and William and Catherine have clearly passed on their passion to their kids, so we've seen George and Charlotte popping up at major sporting events in a way we've not seen in previous generations of the royal family," Robert tells us.
"It shows support for the sportsmen and women, but also a genuine interest in events that so many other people care about. It's a great way for them to connect."
Also proudly displaying her support for the Lionesses last week was Princess Beatrice. She and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, took their children to watch the team's homecoming celebrations outside Buckingham Palace.
Royal seal of approval
The casually dressed couple blended in with the 65,000-strong crowd that gathered along the Mall to watch the victory parade as the team rode through central London on two open-top double-decker buses bearing the slogan "2022 and 2025 European Champions".
Beatrice and Edoardo's seven-month-old baby daughter Athena was strapped into a sling on her father’s chest, while their elder daughter Sienna, three, waved an England flag alongside her stepbrother Wolfie, nine.
© GettyWhile the buses made their way towards Buckingham Palace, team captain Leah lifted the trophy and red smoke billowed into the sky.
As the players danced and waved to the crowd, jubilant fans sang along to the Central Band of the Royal Air Force's rendition of the football anthem Three Lions, Gala's club classic Freed from Desire and Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline.
Tearful Leah told them that the day had been like a "fairytale", adding: "I've been crying all the way down the Mall. It's unbelievable. It's one of the best things we’ve ever been a part of."
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