A secret encounter between the Prince and Princess of Wales and American power couple Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce took place in London just weeks ago, setting the stage for Prince William's appearance on the New Heights podcast.
The episode aired on Friday, mere hours before the NFL star was due to wed the pop sensation at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Swift and Kelce were confirmed to be in Britain on May 7, when they attended a West End production of Romeo and Juliet at the Harold Pinter Theatre and dined at Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat restaurant.
Yet their meeting with the royal couple went entirely under the radar.
It was at this undisclosed venue that the Kansas City Chiefs tight end convinced the heir to the throne to join his podcast.
The prince recorded the 25-minute conversation from Windsor approximately a fortnight ago, speaking with Travis and his brother Jason Kelce, who stepped away from professional American football in 2024.
Jason delivered an particularly exuberant welcome, announcing: "Our guest today is the 6' 3" prince from London, England."
He proceeded to rattle off William's numerous titles, from President of the English Football Association to the Duke of Cornwall and Prince of Wales.
Travis responded with a theatrical bow, exclaiming "let's go" as a somewhat bashful-looking Prince appeared wearing headphones.
"That is quite an intro guys, thank you," William remarked.
Immediately, however, the prince was forced to correct the NFL duo, who referred to football as "soccer".
"So first of all, Jason, I have to correct you," he said with a smile. "It's football."
The trio delved into an extensive football conversation, covering topics ranging from the merits of VAR technology to what the Prince described as "pretty spicy" England supporter chants, as well as comparisons between British and American beer and stadium capacities.
William told NFL stars Travis and Jason Kelce that his father "hates" football, instead revealing that he got his love for the sport from childhood friendships rather than any royal influence.
"My football love came from friends taking me to my first match and at school growing up," William revealed. "You can't avoid the football chat. It's everywhere."
The Prince of Wales also revealedhe will "definitely" travel to the United States if England were to reach the final.
The prince then cheekily quipped: "Maybe see you both there for the final!"
The prince's connection with Swift stretches back over a decade, to 2013 when he joined her and Jon Bon Jovi on stage at a charity event for a performance of Livin' On A Prayer.
In 2024, William took Prince George and Princess Charlotte to watch Swift perform at Wembley, where he was spotted dancing enthusiastically to Shake It Off in a private box.
The Princess of Wales has not previously been confirmed to have met the American singer.
Travis Kelce inadvertently revealed their recent encounter during the podcast introduction, mentioning they had discussed "a little Aston Villa soccer" and World Cup excitement.
Despite William recently suggesting he was "hoping" for a wedding invitation, Kensington Palace confirmed the royal couple remained in London this weekend and would not be attending the ceremony.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
