Prince Harry, in particular, is a big fan of the English rugby team and has attended games all over the world. A Buckingham Palace spokesman told the Sunday Tribune this weekend that although the prince would "very much like" to attend the big game on 24 February, "military commitments" mean he will not be there. Prince William will also be unable to attend.

The second and third heirs to the British throne have both shown their love of the game with their attendance at England's 2003 Rugby World Cup final win over Australia and several other England games at Twickenham.

Prince William will today formally become the vice royal patron of the Welsh Rugby Union.

Any visit by a British royal to Croke Park would be hugely controversial given the fraught historic relationship the stadium has with Britain. Fourteen people were shot dead by British forces at a game there during the War of Independence on 21 November 1920 - Bloody Sunday.

Many Irish people would still have reservations about a British royal being welcomed into Croke Park and sitting in the Hogan Stand - called after Michael Hogan, who was shot dead on Bloody Sunday.

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is using the Croke Park stadium until the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road is complete.

With delays expected in the planning process, it is likely that Lansdowne Road will not be ready in time for the 2009 Six Nations tournament. In that case, a royal visit to the GAA stadium might occur when England is due to play in Ireland in 2009.

"Both William and Harry are keen rugby fans and would certainly very much like to attend a game in Dublin at some point in the future, depending on their military and other commitments, " the Buckingham Palace spokesman said.

A visit from the two princes to Croke Park would not be the first time one of the GAA's institutions met face-to-face with British royalty. Celebrated RT�? commentator and 'voice of the GAA' Micheál �? Muircheartaigh famously interviewed Prince Edward, in his capacity as coowner of 'Druid's Johnno', at the English greyhound Derby semifinal at Wimbledon a number of years ago.

�? Muircheartaigh ignored all warnings about protocol and his commentary on the greyhound race has been immortalised in Irish sports broadcasting history. From the time �? Muircheartaigh opened his interview with the line, "Now, tell me, prince, " the royal laughed all the way through, obviously having a good sense of humour.