Prince Charles praises English soccer star Marcus Rashford amid Euro 2020 loss, racist abuse
The Prince of Wales noted the athlete's efforts to tackle child hunger off the field.
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Prince Charles is praising Team England soccer player Marcus Rashford.
On Wednesday, the Prince of Wales spoke to U.K.’s Radio 4 about sustainable farming and highlight the celebrated athlete’s work off the field.
"From field to fork, extraordinary work is being done to try and build a better food system for everyone, be it Jamie Oliver promoting education and a balanced diet, Henry Dimbleby’s ambitions for safe, healthy and affordable food, or Marcus Rashford whose mission off the football field is to tackle child hunger," said the 73-year-old.
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Rashford, 23, has strongly advocated for the British government to provide free school meals, especially during school holidays, to combat hunger for children in underserved families, People magazine reported.
And the cause hits close to home. The Manchester United forward was a recipient of free school meals when he was a child.
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The outlet noted that this is the second time Charles has publicly supported Rashford. The first came on Monday when the royal shared an excerpt from his speech on Windrush Day 2020 in the U.K. The prince noted how "the rich diversity of cultures which make this country so special – and in many ways unique – lies at the heart of what we can be as a nation."
Many saw the quote as Charles’s response to the racist abuse Rashford, along with England teammates Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho, endured racism after they missed penalty kicks in overtime, leading to Italy’s win in the Euro 2020 final.
That Clarence House post came shortly after Charles’s eldest son Prince William addressed the racism directly on Monday.
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"I am sickened by the racist abuse aimed at England players after last night’s match," said the 39-year-old in a post on Twitter. "It is totally unacceptable that players have to endure this abhorrent behavior. It must stop now and all those involved should be held accountable."
Many Twitter users called William a hypocrite for supporting Sancho, Rashford and Saka while never publicly coming to the defense of his sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, who is biracial and faced racism in the U.K. while working as a senior member of the British royal family.
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Markle, a former American actress, became the Duchess of Sussex when she married William's younger brother, Prince Harry, in May 2018 at Windsor Castle. The couple welcomed a son named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in 2019.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s departures from royal duties began in 2020 over what they described as the British media’s intrusions and racist attitudes towards the former "Suits" star, 39. The family now resides in the coastal city of Montecito, Calif.
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In the wake of quitting royal duties, they gave an explosive TV interview to Oprah Winfrey in March, in which the couple described painful comments about how dark Archie’s skin might be before his birth. The duchess talked about the intense isolation she felt inside the royal family that led her to contemplate suicide.
Buckingham Palace said the allegations of racism made by the couple were "concerning" and would be addressed privately. William also assured reporters directly at an event that "we are very much not a racist family."
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On June 4, the couple welcomed their second child, a daughter named Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. The child is eighth in line to the British throne.
The name pays tribute to both Harry’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, whose family nickname is Lilibet, and his late mother, Princess Diana.
Fox News' Jessica Napoli and The Associated Press contributed to this report.