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Britain's Prince William blows the referee's whistle during a mini football game at Aspray Arena, Tuesday, March 11, 2025 in Willenhall, England.

Video. Heir to throne, ref on field: William's day on football pitch

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In a move to boost diversity in football, Prince William took to the field — not to play, but to learn the role of a referee during a training session.

Prince William traded his royal duties for a referee's whistle during an official visit to Sporting Khalsa FC in Walsall, UK.

The Prince of Wales, who serves as the patron of the Football Association (FA), took part in a referee training course as part of the FA’s Reflective and Representative campaign. The initiative aims to recruit 1,000 referees from Black, Asian, and mixed heritage backgrounds.

The royal visit was met with excitement as William greeted local schoolchildren with high-fives and selfies before sitting down with teenagers to learn more about the training programs.

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