Britain’s Prince William believes England’s football match against France this evening (17.11.15) will send a "powerful message".
The Duke of Cambridge has decided to go ahead with his plan to attend the friendly between the two national teams at London’s Wembley Stadium tonight despite the French national stadium, the Stade de France, being one of the targets of the terrorist attacks in Paris last week.
A Kensington Palace spokesman speaking on behalf of the prince told the Evening Standard newspaper: "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.
"Going ahead with the 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 33-year-old royal is attending the fixture as the president of the Football Association (FA), who have revealed that only 100 people have asked for refunds since the attacks on Paris that killed 132 people.
An impressive 80,000 supporters are expected to attend and will face enhanced security measures modelled on those used during the 2012 Olympics in London.
These measures include patrols by armed officers and compulsory bag searches.
Prime Minister David Cameron echoed the Prince’s words, saying: "The barbaric terrorist attacks in Paris have shocked the world but also united us in our unwavering resolve to defeat this evil. Tonight at Wembley, football fans will join together to show their solidarity for the French people. They will send a clear message — the terrorists will never win."
Prince William sending ‘powerful message’ to terrorists
