Prince Louis has urged the England team to eat “twice the amount” they usually eat to best prepare for the Euros.
The Prince of Wales passed on his six-year-old son’s advice as he met Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad at its St George’s Park training ground on Monday before they fly to Germany for the tournament, which begins on Friday.
Prince William, who is president of the Football Association, revealed that he had asked his three children on the school run what he should say to the team.
“The best bit of advice I got to tell you was to eat twice the amount you normally would eat,” he said.
“So I then had visions of you running around, massive great tummies and loads of stitches on the pitch... so I think maybe take my youngest’s advice with a pinch of salt, particularly around the physio team.”
Instead, the Prince warned them that it was going to be challenging and that the England team “has a target on its back”.
Talent alone would not win the tournament, he added, as he urged the squad to dig deep and to draw on inspirations from home, their childhood and their families. “Whatever it is, get that in you right now,” he said.
“Build up on it, pump yourself up because you never know when you might need it.”
The Prince said: “Tournament football is brutal and it requires a lot more than you’ve already given.
“You’ve had a long old season as it is and we’re going to ask you to go again.
“It’s going to be difficult, it’s going to be fun, it’s going to be challenging, it’s going to be everything that you’ve ever dreamed of, you know wearing that England shirt, and all the experiences you’ve had at club football… you’re going to have to draw on those experiences you’ve had at club football are going to have to be in the back of your head.
“And I just really want you guys to know how much it means to everyone back here, that you go out there, you give it your all, you play for the shirt, play for each other, play for the country, because everyone’s behind you.
“We really care about what you’re going to do.”
Asked what he thought about Prince Louis’s suggestion, captain Harry Kane joked: “I don’t think our nutritionist will be happy with that advice.”
He said the Prince’s visit was “great” and would give the team “extra motivation”.
Of the upcoming tournament he said there was “one more job to do” to go “one more step from last year”.
“We know how much it means to the country and the fans. The nation comes together at this moment.”
Asked about the England team’s 1-0 loss to Iceland on Friday, Kane added: “Of course we were disappointed after that game. I’m sure we will look back at the game where we can improve.
“No one ever likes losing but we want to get on with it. The morale is good.”
Prince William told the squad that the whole country was behind them and that he would be watching every single game as he wished them the very best of luck.
He said Southgate had instilled a sense of “togetherness” in his team.
“I really feel that you’re a unit,” he added. “You fight for each other, you play for each other and you really care about putting that shirt on.”
The Prince was due to chat to Southgate, England’s head coach, about how the team has been preparing for the tournament and to present a shirt to each player.
To mark the team’s send off, schools from across the Midlands were also invited to St George’s Park, the National Football Centre in Burton-on-Trent, to attend a festival of football, playing friendly fixtures against each other.
The Prince, accompanied by Southgate, was expected to drop in on the tournament to watch play and meet some of those taking part.
The heir to the throne is an ardent football supporter and is hugely respected and liked by the players.
Last month, the Prince took his elder son, Prince George, to Wembley to watch Manchester United take on Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Father and son donned matching navy suits, white shirts and striped ties as they watched United eventually emerge as the victors with a 2-1 win.
They beamed as they presented the cup and medals to the winners and awarded runners-up medals to members of the City squad.
