Last October, Prince William agreed to a very odd photo-op involving American football. William was highlighting the NFL Foundation UK, and they had him throw a football and they tried to show him the basics of the game. They even had to lavish him with praise and claim that Peggington has a “golden arm” (he does not). It was especially funny because William has been obsessed with the Super Bowl ever since Prince Harry went to the LA Super Bowl in 2022. After that, William could not stop telling everyone that all of his Earthshot events were “like the Super Bowl.” So, this whole time, I thought William was the only one with the football-as-connected-to-Harry obsession. But they got King Charles to mess around with an American football this week too. It went poorly.
The King showed off his “immense” technique at American football as he enjoyed a crash course in the sport. The 76-year-old monarch won praise from professional players during a tour of Tottenham Hotspur’s £1 billion stadium, where he was also told, much to his amusement, that he was “bigger than Beyoncé”.
The King visited the north London club on Wednesday to celebrate its outreach work in the community, as well as its partnership with the US’s National Football League (NFL). After being shown how to throw a football, he was given a rousing cheer as he threw a pass with his right arm. He was later coaxed into trying his hand as a quarterback, throwing a ball at a net that had hoops as targets. Although his effort fell short, Efe Obada, 32, a Briton who plays for the Washington Commanders, hailed his performance.
“I loved his energy, the fact that he came in here willing to get stuck in,” he said. “His technique was immense. I wanted him to get a hoop, in the target, but he was just having a good time. We talked about the NFL and he’s a fan. He’s going to watch the games.”
Inside the stadium, the King met community groups and local businesses that have benefited from partnerships with the club. This included students from the London Academy of Excellence Tottenham (LAET) – a state-funded sixth form based on the stadium campus that prioritises local students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds – as well as young people supported by The King’s Trust, the youth charity he founded in 1976.
Gina Moffatt, 48, a former prisoner who turned her life around with help from the charity and now runs a successful restaurant in Tottenham employing 15 full-time staff, told the King: “I’m so excited that you’re even back in Tottenham, this year’s looking all good, Tottenham Hotspur’s doing great stuff.
He chuckled as she added: “We’ve got Beyoncé coming but you’re bigger than Beyoncé.”
The American musical superstar is performing at the stadium for six nights in June.
King Charles is not “bigger than Beyonce.” Beyonce could waltz through diplomatic meetings any day of the week, but Charles could never perform “I ain’t in no gang but I got shooters and I bang bang” while dancing in heels. Let’s be real. As for the football stuff… I’m more forgiving of Charles than I was of William. William’s photo-op was tailored specifically to “one-up” Harry or copy Harry in some bizarre way. I think Charles just sort of bumbled into this terrible Yank catastrophe with an egg-shaped ball.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
