On July 3, Prince William made an appearance on one of the U.S.’s most talked-about podcasts – one that no other Royal has yet to grace with their presence: New Heights, with Jason and Travis Kelce. William was all-in to talk about World Cup footie with a couple of kings of American football, and he promised to make the trip across the pond if England makes it to the World Cup final. What he didn’t address on the show (which had been taped a couple weeks prior) was whether he was heading to New York City for Taylor Swift’s wedding to the podcast’s co-host, Travis. But we can assume this VIP interview, released on the wedding day, was William’s way of making up for their absence.

It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that the Prince and Princess of Wales would get an invite to the U.S. equivalent of a Royal Wedding, which took place at Madison Square Garden – which, in some circles, is a sacred and historic equivalent to Westminster Abbey. After all, the Prince and pop star are mates – or M8 as Swift referred to Wills in a birthday post along with a photo of them backstage at her Eras tour in London. William took his older kids to see the show on his 42nd birthday – even pulling out some dad dance moves to Shake it Off before they met up with the singer, and the Kelce brothers, after the show. “That honestly was one of the coolest moments, meeting you and the little ones that day,” Travis said in the podcast. “Jason and I joke about it all the time, we were so nervous to meet you guys, the Royal Family. And Jason has this running joke where he didn’t know what to do with his beer.” Here, Jason breaks in: “Yeah, it wasn’t a joke, it was reality.” He then admits that meeting Princess Charlotte was his highlight because he’s a dad of four girls, setting up Prince William for the big laugh: “Congratulations having four daughters, I don’t know how you do that.”

But it was before Travis came into the picture, and before Princess Charlotte was even born, that the William-Taylor connection was made. In 2013, they were seated together at a charity performance at Kensington Palace. When Jon Bon Jovi invited Swift up to sing, she brought her seatmate with her. “She puts her hand on my arm, looks me in the eye, and says, ‘Come on, William. Let’s go and sing,'” the Prince recalled in a 2021 interview on the Time To Walk series. “I don’t understand why I gave in. But … I got up like a puppy and went, ‘Yeah, OK, that seems like a great idea. I’ll follow you.'” The three proceeded to belt out Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer, which just happens to be the prince’s go-to karaoke song.

Maybe, back then, he would have followed Swift to New York for an encore at her wedding, in front of the likes of Stevie Nicks, Zoë Kravitz, Ed Sheeran, Graham Norton and Selena Gomez. But times have changed and things are pretty tense at home as the U.K. prepares for William’s brother, prodigal son Prince Harry, to return to England next week (with or without his wife and children) for the kickoff announcement of the 2027 Invictus Games – yes, it’s that old, ‘Will Harry’s family have the security they desire/require” controversy all over again. 

Plus, the Prince and Princess of Wales are living a “new normal” nearly two years after Kate’s cancer treatments – it’s one that likely doesn’t include transatlantic flights and three-day itineraries to celebrate the joining of America’s homecoming queen with its captain of the football team.

The kinds of outings Kate has made a priority include May’s solo three-day, early education fact-finding trip to Italy – her first international tour since treatment. And, even more emotionally and physically taxing, she recently completed the country’s National Three Peaks Challenge U.K., hiking 23 miles through a trio of mountains – in the lashing rain – to raise awareness about “holistic healthcare” for cancer patients. Along the way, she formed a bond with an 11-year-old boy in a wheelchair who had a team of family and friends helping him climb and, as they bumped into each other multiple times, they shared words of encouragement. 

But let’s be serious, likely the biggest reason to stay home is Wimbledon. Kate is not about to miss the first weekend of her favourite event of the year – and her responsibilities as the Patron of the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club  – for just any wedding. After all, in tennis love means nothing.