King Charles is under fire once again—this time not over palace staff wages, but a perceived racial snub.
Just days after being criticized for reportedly underpaying gardeners and tolerating toxic work culture at Highgrove, the monarch has found himself in another controversy. His congratulatory post to the England Women’s football team sparked outrage online after fans noticed one key player was left out of the image.
A Message with a Glaring Omission
On July 23, Charles shared a celebratory message on social media, applauding the Lionesses for advancing to the Euro Cup finals. His words were full of admiration: “Knowing the Lionesses’ fighting spirit, I suspect we are in for another thrilling encounter on Sunday… Your achievements continue to inspire countless girls and women across the nation, proving once again that with dedication and teamwork, anything is possible.”
But while the post was intended to uplift, it quickly drew criticism. A photo accompanying the message included several players—except for 19-year-old forward Michelle Agyemang, who is of Ghanaian descent. Agyemang, who joined the team in April, had played a crucial role in England’s journey through the knockout rounds.
Fans Call Out the Palace
The omission didn’t go unnoticed. Royal watchers flooded the comments, with many accusing the King of racial bias. One commenter wrote, “Not surprising that Michelle Agyemang isn’t in the graphic… Not saying and words that begin with R, but…” Another user added, “Nice bit of racism there excluding Agyemang.”
Others were even more direct in their criticism. “Michelle Agyemang has arguably been the most important player of this tournament for the Lionesses. But in the Royal Family’s message of support ahead of the final, she’s not pictured or acknowledged at all. Black women aren’t invisible. Let’s stop erasing them,” one post read.
Another said simply, “Where is Michelle Agyemang in this picture? You purposefully left her out. Embarrassing.” The outrage continued: “You missed Michelle Agyemang from your image!! Why??? You’re not helping yourselves…”
Other Absences Noted, But Not Criticized
Also missing from the image were reserve goalkeepers Khiara Keating and Anna Moorhouse. However, since neither had participated in the tournament, their absence didn’t attract the same level of attention. In contrast, Agyemang’s goals had been instrumental to the team’s performance, making her exclusion harder to overlook.
After the Lionesses defeated Spain on July 27 to win the World Cup—avenging their heartbreaking 2023 loss—King Charles released a second message, but this time with a noticeably more cautious tone. Gone was the player image; instead, the monarch opted for a simple graphic of the England flag.
In his new statement, Charles praised the team’s win and encouraged them to aim for another victory in 2027.
William and Charlotte Join in the Celebration
Echoing the King’s message, Prince William and Princess Charlotte also congratulated the team through a joint Instagram post. According to Hello! magazine, their message read: “What a game! @lionesses, you are the champions of Europe, and we couldn’t be prouder of the whole team. Enjoy this moment, @England. William & Charlotte.”
Notably, this marked the first time Princess Charlotte personally signed off on a message as ‘Charlotte’—something she’d previously only done in posts for Father’s Day or birthdays. The father-daughter duo had watched the final together at St. Jakob-Park in Basel, showing their support from the stands.
