The images of William dancing and having a great time at Taylor Swift’s concert quickly spread on social media. Royal enthusiasts immediately contrasted this joyful scene with photos of Prince Harry looking seemingly unenthusiastic at a Beyoncé concert the previous year.
In September 2023, Harry attended the concert with Meghan Markle at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, where he was captured with his hands in his pockets, appearing less than thrilled as Beyoncé performed for a celebrity-filled audience.
Prince William and his children generated excitement when they took a backstage photo with Taylor Swift and her boyfriend Travis Kelce.
The contrasting images of the royal brothers ignited a wave of discussions among fans on social media platforms. Some fans highlighted the differences in the brothers’ concert experiences, with one suggesting that Harry accompanied Meghan for visibility, while William attended as a genuine fan of Taylor Swift’s music alongside his “Swifty” children. Others pointed out the seemingly natural alignment of Harry and Meghan with Beyoncé, and William with Taylor Swift.
However, not all reactions were positive. Some accused William of having ulterior motives, suggesting that he was using Taylor Swift’s popularity to boost his own image and to imitate Harry and Meghan. Others questioned William’s understanding of certain cultural references.
“Such a contrast! Harry accompanied Meghan to concerts so that she could be seen. Whereas Prince William goes to a Taylor Swift concert on his birthday, as a fan of her music, with his Swifty children!,” a user wrote on X.
“Gloomy Harry vs. joyous William. A tale of two concerts. It really tells the story. Harry is a bitter man. William is a happy man. A mature man without jealousy or resentment. A man in full,” another user reacted.
Taylor Swift kicked off the London leg of her Eras tour on a positive note, with Prince William posting a backstage selfie of them on social media Saturday after celebrating his 42nd birthday at the concert with his children. The American pop star seemed equally delighted, sharing a photo featuring the three royals and her boyfriend Travis Kelce. “Happy Bday M8! London shows are off to a splendid start,” she wrote on X.
Labour party leader Keir Starmer, who could potentially become Britain’s next prime minister after next month’s election, was also among the nearly 90,000 fans at the stadium. He praised Swift’s performance as “fantastic” and mentioned that his campaign slogan, “Change,” aligns with one of her songs.
Swift is currently on the European leg of her Eras tour, with two more shows in London on Saturday and Sunday before returning to the city in August. She has already performed in Edinburgh, Liverpool, and Cardiff, and will be heading to Dublin next.
The London Mayor’s office announced that the eight Eras tour performances in London are expected to generate £300 million ($380m) for the city’s economy. To commemorate the tour, the mayor unveiled several murals dedicated to Swift and a special Tube map featuring stations named after her songs.
