Prince William and Crown Prince of Jordan watch England World Cup win over Panama at swanky pad after avoiding result spoilers all day

Prince William and Crown Prince Hussein kick back and watch the football
Kensington Palace

Prince William watched England thrash Panama at the World Cup at the Crown Prince of Jordan's swanky pad after the pair avoided spoilers of the result all day.

The Duke of Cambridge watched a rerun of England's World Cup victory over Panama after begging the travelling media and photographers not to tell him the result.

Al Hussein bin Abdullah II recorded the game for the pair to view later as William arrived in Jordan just as the second half between the two teams began.

The Duke of Cambridge, who is president of the FA and a keen Aston Villa fan, spent the day avoiding the score and pleaded with the travelling media not to tell him.

Swanky pad: Prince William and the Crown Prince of Jordan settle down to watch the football
Kensington Palace

After he revealed he would be watching the England vs Panama match at the end of the day the duke told them: "On pain of death, please don't tell me the score."

Kensington Palace tweeted two pictures of the duke and the crown prince casually dressed and sitting side by side on a sofa watching the game on a large screen at the Beit Al Urdun Palace.

It came as Harry Kane and the rest of the England team arrived back in St Petersburg. Kane, who scored a hat-trick during the game, clutched the signed match ball as he stepped off the plane with his teammates following their record World Cup match win.

Harry Kane and the team arrive back in St Petersburg after their win over Panama (Harry Kane / Instagram )
Harry Kane/Instagram

William's five-day visit to the Middle East is hugely symbolic, and will also see him visit Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories – the first time a member of the monarchy has visited on behalf of the Government.

In Pictures | England vs Panama, World Cup | 24/06/2018

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The Israelis and Palestinians have been locked in a decades-long conflict that in essence is a dispute over land.

William was keen to travel to the region and his presence in Ramallah will be interpreted as an acknowledgement of the plight of Palestinians, while in Jerusalem he will be showing solidarity with the Israelis.

He is likely to avoid commenting publicly about the political situation wherever he travels as his thoughts could be seized upon by the other side.

In a speech to notable figures from Jordanian life he highlighted the work their country has played in the region supporting its neighbours when in need, especially the hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians who make up a large proportion of the kingdom's population.

The duke raises a toast as he attends the Queen's Birthday Party at UK Ambassador's residence in Amman
PA

William, speaking during a garden party marking the Queen's birthday, said: "I greatly admire the resilience you in Jordan have shown in the face of the many security and humanitarian challenges that have confronted you as a result of conflicts in this region.

"The way in which you opened your doors to hundreds of thousands of refugees from Syria, not to mention your longstanding commitments to Palestinian refugees, is remarkable."

Prince William Middle East Tour

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He told the guests at the residence of Britain's ambassador to Jordan: "You should be enormously proud of what you have done. In so many ways, Jordan as an open and stable society is a beacon of hope for many other people in the Middle East."

Earlier, the football theme had continued when William was presented with a wooden shield decorated with the crest of his beloved Aston Villa during a visit to the FabLab, a technology lab in the Jordanian capital of Amman.

The duke even pressed a button to start a laser cutter which produced the design, but before it sprang into action he spotted the Villa crest on the machine and said: "That's familiar. Very good. You have done your research.

The centre was established by the Crown Prince's foundation, and Hussein showcased the work his organisation is doing to equip young people with technology.

William later had dinner with his host the Crown Prince at his home, where the duke also stayed, and the pair watched England thrash Panama 6-1.

Additional reporting by Press Association

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