The nation is still reeling from the Lionesses' epic win in the Women's Euro 2022 against Germany.

And one person who was particualrly overjoyed at the momentous achievement was Prince William – football fan and president of the Football Association – who handed the team their medals and congratulated them personally, breaking royal protocol by hugging several of them warmly.

According to Ken Wharfe, Princess Diana's former bodyguard, that was 40 year old William's "Diana moment" – shrugging off royal formalities and revealing how much the achievement meant to him.

"When the Lionesses won, when William presented the trophy, it wasn’t just a question of pushing the trophy into the captain’s hands," he told OK!.

"There was this extraordinary embrace, this broad smile across his face. If you want to know what Diana’s legacy was, look very closely at that clip. It was a Diana moment.

"Getting involved in such a way was exactly what she did. It was absolutely right."

Former royal butler Grant Harrold previously told OK!: “Historically, there was a rule with royals that you could look but you couldn’t touch.

"If you met a royal, you could look at them and if they offered you a handshake, you were to accept it.

"That was a lot to do with the mystique surrounding the family but also for security reasons, too."

Grant also reflected Ken's words as he noted that Diana was a "hugger", explaining: "Diana was a hugger and I think that this physical contact and hugging people has a lot to do with how William was raised.

"It won’t feel unnatural to William – if anything, it’d feel more uncomfortable if it was just a strict handshake.

"As well as this, seeing royals hug makes them relevant and modern."

Ken also spoke of Diana's parenting influencing William's approach to raising his children Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, seven, and four year old Prince Louis with his wife Kate Middleton.

Speaking of William embracing the Middleton way of life, he said: "[It meant] it was an easy transition for William to move away from the confines of royalty and see the benefits of sharing and living within his wife’s family.

"It’s been an incredible plus for William, particularly with the raising of their children."

Diana: Remembering the Princess by Ken Wharfe and Ros Coward (£20, John Blake) is out now

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