The prince’s decision not to travel has been put in stark relief by the expected attendance of Queen Letizia of Spain.
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Critics have suggested that he almost certainly would have travelled had England’s men reached the final.
Sports broadcaster Gabby Logan said she is “disappointed” that William will not be attending the final.
Appearing on BBC’s Newscast, Logan was asked her thoughts on both the prince and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak not travelling to cheer on the Lionesses.
The 50-year-old said: “I have to say I’m disappointed that Prince William isn’t going with his role at the FA and the history that is going to happen and be created on Sunday, one way or the other.
“I just wonder would neither of those people come to a men’s World Cup final, would Britain not be represented by at least one of those two figures at a men’s World Cup and I can’t help thinking that they would be there.
“I don’t know what prior engagements that can’t be moved or if there’s something that’s enormously important that is getting in the way of this, but it does feel like we should have somebody of national [importance].”
William had visited the England training ground at St George’s Park to meet the Lionesses before they left for Australia.
He surprised Sarina Wiegman, the manager, by presenting her with her honorary CBE before telling the team the “sky is the limit”.
The prince was in attendance last year at Wembley Stadium to cheer on the Lionesses when they beat Germany to claim the women’s Euros.
The previous year, William was joined by Kate and Prince George, then aged seven, as they saw the England men go down on penalties against Italy to lose the final of the men’s Euros.
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William’s grandmother Elizabeth was at Wembley in 1966 when the England men won the World Cup – still their only major tournament victory – and she handed the trophy to captain Bobby Moore.
The Telegraph, London
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