‘Me and Jason joke about it all the time’: Chance encounter behind Prince William’s shock podcast appearance

Prince William sent royal fans into a frenzy over the weekend, making a surprise guest appearance on none other than Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast.

The future King appeared utterly at ease – even chummy – throughout the duration of the 30-minute segment. But the question on everyone’s lips is: How on earth did two American NFL stars pull off what no one else could, and secure the most lucrative (and notoriously media-averse) guest of them all?

The episode in question, which aired on the day of Travis’ high-profile wedding to pop sensation Taylor Swift, marked only the third media appearance for the Prince in the space of nine months.

As it turns out, Swift herself may have had a direct hand in making this milestone moment a reality.

The brothers both previously met William backstage at Wembley Stadium during Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in 2024, where they bonded over the day-to-day realities of fatherhood.

It seems this key moment – as well as the Prince of Wales’ prior connections to Swift – ultimately laid the groundwork for the unconventional appearance.

Read more

Double-takes at Wimbledon as the Princess of Wales pops up in the queue

“I got the chance to see you not too long ago, and invite you on the show,” Travis recalled of that fateful meeting.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end added that being introduced to Prince William and his two oldest kids, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, was “one of the coolest moments ever.”

“Me and Jason joke about it all the time,” he admitted to the prince.

“We were so nervous to meet you guys and the royal family. Jason has this running joke where he didn’t know what to do with his beer.”

Jason then chimed in to add that meeting Princess Charlotte was “still the highlight” of his evening.

“I have four daughters as well, so, I mean, she was great,” Jason said.

Prince William appeared in awe of the retired footballer’s ultimate ‘girl dad’ status, noting he “didn’t know how [Kelce] did that.”

On Friday, the brothers initially teased a mystery “special guest” set to appear on New Heights’ forthcoming episode. But no one could have predicted the big reveal that would follow.

An additional Tiktok teaser later unveiled Prince William in the hot seat – receiving quite an enthusiastic welcome from the brothers.

“Our guest today is the 6′3″ prince from London, England,” Jason was heard shouting excitedly.

Read more

All the celebrities who attended Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding of the century

“That’s right, the president of the English Football Association, the vice-royal patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of Cornwall, the Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland, Earl of Chester and the Prince of Wales, please welcome his Royal Highness, Prince William!”

The bemused Prince seemed unsure of how to receive the passionate introduction, appearing embarrassed as he replied, “that’s quite an intro guys, amazing.”

In typical New Heights fashion, the 28-minute interview placed particular emphasis on sports, including American football and the ongoing Football World Cup.

The interview notably stood out from the Prince’s usual, highly vetted media appearances; with the conversational setting facilitating a lesser-seen display of humour, as well as untold family anecdotes.

In particular, William referenced his father, King Charles’ “hatred” for football, admitting he hadn’t grown to love it through him.

“My family haven’t got a particularly long history with football. There are a few of us who support teams.”

William instead credited his friends for influencing his love for Premier League.