Prince William breaks his social media silence for the first time since Kate announced her cancer diagnosis

The Prince of Wales has broken his social media silence for the first time since his wife Kate announced her shock cancer diagnosis.

Prince William, 41, shared a personal message this afternoon to the official Instagram account he shares with the Princess of Wales.

‘Thank you for so many unforgettable performances with @Lionesses, @racheldaly3. Plenty more goals for Villa now!,’ wrote the royal, before signing off the note with his personal signature, the letter W.

England Euros winner and Aston Villa forward Rachel Daly announced her retirement from international football today.

William, who became President of the FA in 2006 and regularly attends England games and FA Cup finals, is a keen football fan and supports the Birmingham-based team.  

In his Instagram story, William shared Rachel’s post in which the football player announced her retirement from the international stage.

It marks the first personal note from either the Prince or Princess of Wales since Kate shared an emotional video message announcing her shock cancer diagnosis, having spent a fortnight in the private London Clinic for abdominal surgery in January. 

The cancer-stricken King was described by the Palace as being ‘so proud’ of the Princess for her courage in speaking out, and is said to be in ‘the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law’.

Daly, 32, scored 16 goals across 84 caps – which saw her play in as many as six different positions for the Lionesses – including left back and striker.

The Aston Villa forward, who was part of the Euro 2022-winning squad and the team that reached last summer’s World Cup final, informed her England team-mates of her decision after their 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday evening.

‘I would love nothing more than to play for England forever, but the time has come for me to hang my boots up on the international stage,’ Daly said.

‘While today is an extremely difficult day for me, it is also one filled with reflection and immense gratitude.

‘It has been the greatest honour to represent my family, my team-mates and the entire country. I have a lot of incredible memories during my time with England that have been pivotal moments.

‘Winning the Euros and then reaching the World Cup final changed a lot for me, not only as a footballer but as a person. 

‘I’m so fortunate that I’ve been able to share that with so many remarkable people throughout my journey.

‘I have made special friendships that will last a lifetime. I will be eternally grateful to have been given the opportunity to wear the England badge with immense pride over the past eight years.

‘I am very fortunate to have played a small part in making history with the Lionesses and I feel now is the right time to pass on that baton to the next generation.’

England manager Sarina Wiegman paid tribute to Daly’s versatility, saying: ‘Rachel has been an incredible part of our story and the history we’ve made together. It has been a privilege to work with her.

‘I have never worked with a player so versatile, always with a smile on her face, bringing energy and trying to do her best for the team.

‘She’ll be missed not just by me but all the other staff members, players and of course the fans.’