Prince William Shares His Grief After Death of Rugby Legend JPR Williams

DARTMOUTH, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 14: Prince William, Prince of Wales arrives for a visit to The Lord High Admiral's Divisions at Britannia Royal Naval College on December 14, 2023 in Dartmouth, England. His Royal Highness attended a training course at the Britannia Royal Naval College in 2008, following on from his father, His Majesty The King and his grandfather the late Duke of Edinburgh, who both passed through the college. (Photo by Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Prince William has shared a special note to mark the passing of the late Welsh rugby player JPR Williams, who died this week at age 74.

Williams has been recognized by many as one of the sport’s finest. In the hours since the rugby player’s family announced his death, several members of the sports community have offered their condolences and released statements celebrating his accomplishments as an athlete and teammate.

The Prince of Wales, a longtime supporter of the Welsh Rugby Union, jumped into the mix on Tuesday by paying tribute to Williams on X, formerly Twitter.

“There was no one quite like him on the rugby field,” the prince's post said. He recognized Williams as a WRU “great” and said his thoughts are with the player’s friends and family members.

Williams’ family announced his death in a statement released by WRU on Monday, Jan. 8. The athlete “died peacefully” at the University Hospital of Wales following a short battle with bacterial meningitis. His wife and four children were with him at the time of his death.

Williams’ most prominent years in rugby occurred during the 1970s, when he helped Wales secure three Grand Slams. A statement from WRU President Terry Cobner, who played with the full back during the mid-1970s, described Williams as “the defensive rock in every team in which he played.” With Williams’ death, Cobner said the sport has “lost one of its greatest players of all time.”

Prince William’s somber tribute struck a chord with fans of the Royal Family, many of whom were focused on celebrating Kate Middleton’s 42nd birthday.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are both big rugby fans, though they support different teams. While William cheered for Wales during the Rugby World Cup last year, Middleton showed up in support of England. She has been the official royal patron of the Rugby Football Union since early 2022, while William is the WRU patron.

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