Dirty Harry! Bearded Prince's below-the-belt tackles earn him a ticking off from referee (even big brother William was a target)

 

• Princes went head-to-head during the annual charity Christmas match at Sandringham, which ended in a 2-2 draw
• Brothers gave each other a hug at the end of the game but Harry was seen sliding in to tackle his brother earlier on
• With his thinning hair, onlookers said the Duke of Cambridge looked like former England footballer Bobby Charlton
• Harry, 29, looked worn out from his recent 200-mile expedition, but scored the second goal for his side

By Wills Robinson

They had gathered at Sandringham to celebrate Christmas, surrounded by 30 members of the Royal Family.
But it seems the festive spirit was put on hold on December 24 when Prince Harry took on Prince William on the football pitch.
Harry, still sporting his ginger beard from his recent expedition to the South Pole, lunged in for a tackle on The Duke of Cambridge during the annual charity match on the Norfolk estate.

Steady on: Prince Harry slides in for a tackle on his brother The Duke of Cambridge during the match at Sandringham estate

Studs up: Prince Harry lunges aggressively into a tackle during the charity Christmas football match

Tired: The 29-year-old who, was playing on the opposing side to his brother William, looked worn out after recently returning from his 200-mile trek to the South Pole

But the pair set aside their differences after the game between Sandringham estate workers and villagers from neighbouring Castle Rising, and gave each other a hug.

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The Duke of Cambridge, who was wearing a red and white striped shirt and light blue Aston Villa socks in honour of his favourite team, was also seen throwing himself into the game, which ended in a 2-2- draw.
With his thinning hair, onlookers said the 31-year-old looked like former England footballer Bobby Charlton.
Prince Harry, who was wearing a white shirt, looked worn out after recently returning from his 200-mile trek to the South Pole.
But the Prince, who was sporting the bushy beard he grew on the trek, still managed to score the second goal for his team. Although at one point he got a telling-off from the referee for a wild tackle.

 

Rugged: The prince was still sporting the beard he grew during his recent expedition to the South Pole as he joined villagers and estate workers for the match

Embrace: The two brothers hugged at the end of the game, which ended in a 2-2 draw

Post-match: The two princes congratulated teammates and opposition after the game

Eye on the ball: Prince William also got stuck into the annual fixture, and wore the socks from his beloved Aston Villa

One of the players was injured during the match and was taken to hospital, but the game continued and the teams shook hands at the end.
Around 100 locals turned out to watch the match and Prince William was seen mingling with spectators at half time.
The brothers were also cheered on by their cousin Peter Phillips, his wife Autumn and their children.

Mind my head! The Duke of Cambridge winces as he shields himself from a stray shot

Speed and skill: The brothers showed off their footballing prowess with William (left) teeing up a volley and Harry looking to out run a defender as he latches onto a pass