Prince William and his son, Prince George, were seen on an emotional rollercoaster as they watched Aston Villa's Champions League quarter-final against Paris St-Germain on Wednesday. Despite the Prince’s “lucky clothes,” Villa lost 3-1, facing a tough challenge in the return leg at Villa Park next Tuesday.
Prince William, known for his long-standing support of Aston Villa, was joined by his son Prince George and childhood friend Thomas van Straubenzee for the highly anticipated match at Parc des Princes in Paris.
Before the match, Prince William admitted he was "pretty terrified" and "nervous," but optimistically predicted a 2-1 victory for Villa.
Speaking with TNT Sports pundits Rio Ferdinand and Ally McCoist, he reflected on the significance of the match for both him and George.
"It's a big deal to take George, who's wearing a Villa scarf," Prince William said, visibly excited when Villa took the lead through Morgan Rogers in the first half. The father-son duo punched the air and shared a hug, celebrating their team's early success.
However, PSG, fresh off being crowned French champions, swiftly turned the game around with three unanswered goals, leaving Villa with a challenging task ahead in the return leg.
Despite the disappointing result, Prince William remained upbeat about the experience, especially for his son. "It's been 43 years since anything like this has happened in my generation as a Villa fan, and I want George to experience a night out away from home in a big European competition," the Prince explained.
In a light-hearted moment before the match, Ferdinand jokingly asked if Prince William was on a "lads tour." The Prince responded with a smile, saying, “Well, I've got my son here as well, so I'm on best behaviour.”
Prince William also discussed the possibility of his children supporting Villa, noting he is "generally open to whoever they support," but conceded, "They come to games with Villa, so they’ll probably support Villa.”
During the match, the Prince was seen engaging with Villa players, including Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford, sharing insights into the team’s tactics and the intense pressure PSG would put on the Villa defence.
Ferdinand teased, "Do not go for a punditry job, please, because I could be out of the game,” after hearing the Prince’s tactical analysis.
Prince William's reaction to Villa initially going up went viral on social media, with many fans calling the moment 'cute' with William celebrating with his son George.
The Prince’s lifelong connection with Aston Villa stems from his school days, where he deliberately chose to support the club to avoid following the crowd. “I wanted to have a team that was more mid-table that could give me more emotional rollercoaster moments,” he told the BBC in 2015.
Despite Villa's fluctuating fortunes over the years, Prince William has remained a steadfast fan, finding joy in the highs and lows of supporting a club like Villa. He recalled one of his earliest experiences at an FA Cup match between Bolton and Villa in 2000, a loss to Chelsea in the final.
"It was the atmosphere, the camaraderie, and I really felt that there was something I could connect with," he said.
As the Prince and George left Paris with mixed emotions, they were already looking ahead to the return leg at Villa Park, where they will be hoping for a dramatic turnaround.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ