Prince William initiated the hug with England captain Leah Williamson before presenting her with the trophy following the Euro 2022 final.
The Duke of Cambridge – who is the president of the Football Association – was so excited about England’s victory that he hugged Leah and told her how proud he was of her and her team.
Leah told the BBC: “I think I went to shake his hand and he said, ‘Leah, bring it in’ and I said, ‘Thank you sir’. He was like, ‘I’m very proud of you all’.”
Leah and her fellow Lionesses beat Germany 2-1 to win the European Women’s Football Championship 2022 and the captain revealed she was overcome by a message of congratulations from William’s grandmother Queen Elizabeth.
She said: “I’m a big fan of the royal family so it means a lot.”
Following the win, the Queen said in a statement: “My warmest congratulations, and those of my family, go to you all on winning the European Women’s Football Championships.
“It is a significant achievement for the entire team, including your support staff. The Championships and your performance in them have rightly won praise. However, your success goes far beyond the trophy you have so deservedly earned.
“You have all set an example that will be an inspiration for girls and women today, and for future generations. It is my hope that you will be as proud of the impact you have had on your sport as you are of the result today.”
Meanwhile, Leah, 25, revealed she is still in shock over the win.
She said: “I just can’t stop crying. like this, we talk and we talk and we talk and we finally did it. It’s about doing it on the pitch and I’ll tell you what, the kids are alright.
“It is the proudest moment of my life. I am taking everything in, every piece of advice I had was to take every single second in, so I can relive it for ever. I’ll be reliving that for a long time.
“The legacy of this tournament is the change in society. The legacy of this team is winners.”