Prince William was among the first major royal voices to celebrate Englandâs dramatic march into the World Cup semi-finals after the Three Lions sealed a tense 2-1 victory over Norway.
The Prince of Wales, a lifelong football fan and president of the Football Association, shared his delight after England survived a difficult quarter-final and found a way through thanks to another decisive night from Jude Bellingham.
The Prince of Wales was among the first to congratulate England as they stormed into the World Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 triumph against Norway
Bellingham and Kane celebrate after the match against Norway on Saturday
Fans throw their arms in the air in celebrations after England triumphed against Norway
Posting on X after the final whistle, William praised the squadâs character and called them a âspecial teamâ, while also offering respect to Norway after their best ever World Cup finish. His message ended with a confident flourish: âOnto the semi final… Never in doubt! W.â
The result sparked huge celebrations among England supporters, with fan zones across the country erupting after Bellingham scored his second goal of the match in extra time. At Boxpark Wembley, fans sang Three Lions and Hey Jude as belief around Thomas Tuchelâs side grew louder than ever.
England had been trailing in Miami before a dramatic moment just before half-time changed the tone of the match. After Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland took a goal kick, the ball dropped near the halfway line to Elliot Anderson, who helped set Anthony Gordon free on the left. Gordon then delivered a superb cross for Bellingham, who controlled the ball before firing England level.
There were more nervy moments after the break. Harry Kane briefly appeared to have put England ahead, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Norway then thought they had taken a 2-1 lead themselves, but VAR intervened and the effort was scrubbed off, keeping England alive in a contest that tested their patience and nerve.
Eventually, Bellingham once again became the man for the biggest stage. His extra-time strike sent England into the last four and gave supporters another reason to believe this squad may be capable of writing a defining World Cup chapter.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and former Chancellor Sajid Javid also joined the national reaction, while fans described the match as euphoric and electrifying. Even those who admitted to doubting England after Norwayâs opener said the team showed courage, heart and refusal to fold.
Despite the victory, Tuchel was far from fully satisfied. The England manager admitted he was ânot happyâ with the performance, saying the team had made life difficult for themselves and had been sloppy at times. Still, when asked about Bellinghamâs quality, he needed few words: âWorld class.â
England will now face the winner of Argentina against Switzerland on Wednesday night, with a place in the World Cup final on the line. After another nerve-shredding evening, Williamâs message captured the mood of a nation daring to dream: this England team may not always make it easy, but it keeps finding a way.
