Prince William and football legend Paul Gascoigne, known as Gazza, once shared a heartwarming and unexpected encounter in Bournemouth.
In an excerpt from his upcoming memoir shared by the Daily Mail, the former England footballer opened up about his memorable interactions with Prince William, including one emotional reunion that left fans and the future king visibly moved.
Paul Gascoigne opens up about meeting Prince William
Recounting an unforgettable moment during the Euro 2020 tournament (held in 2021 due to the pandemic), Paul detailed a chaotic but heartwarming interaction with Prince William at Wembley Stadium.
“One of the good things about being famous is not having to introduce yourself or tell everybody your story over and over again,” he wrote. “Everyone I meet already knows who I am, senior royalty included.”
I was touched that he seemed genuinely concerned about me and interested in how I was.
The football icon explained that he almost didn’t make it to the match between England and Denmark after falling over drunk and cutting his head open on a lamp post.
Thankfully, a friend patched him up. They headed to Wembley, where she sat next to David Beckham, and Gazza found himself behind Prince William and his bodyguards.
“I got an urge to say hello, so I clambered over some chairs, sat down in the seat next to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek,” Paul wrote. “‘Gazza,’ he said. ‘What are you doing?’ ‘I don’t know,’ I replied. I was pretty drunk at the time, but I don’t think he minded.”
‘I’m keeping an eye on you’
Two years later, a very different meeting took place. During a visit to Bournemouth, where Paul now lives, Prince William spotted him at a new branch of Pret A Manger, which the royal was opening as part of his Homewards campaign to tackle homelessness.
This moment, unlike their Wembley encounter, was captured on camera and widely shared online.
The brief but heartfelt exchange showed the Prince of Wales expressing genuine concern for the former England star, who has long been open about his struggles with addiction and mental health.
“The next time I saw Prince William, I was sober, and he seemed much happier to chat,” Paul wrote. “‘Gazza,’ he exclaimed when he saw me. ‘Is it actually you? What are you doing here?'”
“I’ve come to see you,” Paul replied, shaking his hand.
The prince then asked with visible concern: “How are you, are you OK? I’m keeping an eye on you from afar.”
“I’m behaving myself now,” Paul assured him. “Cheers, prince.”
Paul admitted that the moment left a mark: “It was good to see him. I was touched that he seemed genuinely concerned about me and interested in how I was.”
The clip of their reunion at Pret A Manger circulated widely on social media. Fans praised the prince for his warmth and sincerity.
Read more: Reason Prince Andrew ‘should fear the day Prince William becomes king’
“Man that’s great that Prince William greeted him specifically like that,” one fan wrote.
“Wow, Gazza kissed him on the cheek. What a touching exchange between a legend and a prince!” Another added.
A third fan gushed: “How lovely! William is a true gent and will be a truly wonderful king!”
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