Prince Harry was one of the first to enter the dressing room to celebrate the victory with England in 2003. Photo: Getty Images/Dave Rogers
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of England's Rugby World Cup victory in November 2003, the RFU this week tweeted some images from the dressing room after that titanic match in Sydney. It's 19-year-old Prince Harry, fresh-faced and lanky, congratulating England's victorious players. Wearing a replica white jersey with the number 10 on the back, the camera catches him through the crowd of players and officials as he hugs Lawrence Dallaglio, shares a moment with Jonny Wilkinson and celebratory kisses Matt Dawson on the forehead.
What's obvious from watching him walk around the room is how excited he is to be there. There is no artificiality here, no pretense, and certainly no formality. This is not an official duty. He's a fan having a great time.
It's clear that the players not only appreciate his presence, but also feel comfortable with him. They seem to know him, consider him one of them: a guy who loves rugby. In truth, he was who he was: every England game he was there, living the moment, putting his emotions on the line, full of encouragement.
By 2015, when the World Cup was due to be held in England, Harry's position as the host nation's most famous fan, which would remain until the 2019 World Cup final, was cemented. His father was never keen on ball games, and his brother was more interested in football (and in any case, since he was to become Prince of Wales, he felt he could not be too closely involved with the England team). So Harry was a member of the royal family, always ready to please, chat and laugh at nervous pre-match jokes. Not that he minded. When the camera caught him celebrating a goal, there was none of the false excitement of a politician wanting to associate himself with sporting success. He looked like he meant it. Largely because he did it.
He even had a role in the 2015 opening ceremony video. And while it may not have been as dramatic as his grandmother's helicopter-jumping cameo at the 2012 Olympics, his brief appearance as a gardener watching William Webb Ellis' belt emerge from rugby school with a rugby ball caused quite a stir. laughter.
But now, in self-imposed exile in California, he is no longer there. At the recent World Cup, his brother, sister-in-law and nephew were present at the semi-final, but the only hint of him was a sign held by a South African fan disparagingly comparing him to Springbok Steven Kitshoff. . “Our ginger is better,” the caption read.
True, in America he is still seen at sporting events. He was there to see Lionel Messi's first performance for Inter Miami and was recently photographed at a basketball game in Los Angeles. But his heart doesn't seem to be in it. As he yawned and shuffled in his seat, he looked like a man eager to get back to Twickenham at the first opportunity, there in the dressing room, bantering, being one of the boys again and watching the game he loves.
And the loss of his presence is felt in both directions. For any sport, royal support is a real plus. The Queen's death last year was widely seen as a major blow to racing, given her lifelong enthusiasm for the gallop. Scottish rugby has long enjoyed the support of the Princess Royal. English football is getting better thanks to the loyal support of Prince William. After all, he found time in his schedule to attend Bobby Charlton's funeral, even if the Manchester United owners did not. For English rugby, Harry was once a huge asset. A smiling whirlwind of enthusiasm who knew the game and its players, he was more than just an ambassador or public face. He was part of its structure.
Now he is no more, the game has lost its most famous supporter. The Princess of Wales does her best to set the tone for rugby events, always looking the part in long-lens paparazzi shots of the crowd. But for her, acting feels like an addition to her royal duties. For Harry it was something different. You only have to look at the footage of him sitting in the Sydney stadium dressing room 20 years ago to understand that for him this was the central moment in his life.
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