In October, Prince William and his son Prince George made headlines by attending an Aston Villa match to cheer their team on. Sadly, that was their last impression. The pair attended a highly anticipated match against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in a Champions League encounter. Inexplicably for the royal family, Aston Villa lost 3-1.
Aston Villa has one of the most decorated histories in English soccer. The club has competed in both the Premier League and the Champions League, captivating fans with its storied past and passionate following. Prince William, who is deeply committed to the team, has been a longtime fan. His passion for Aston Villa has rubbed off on his son, and even with him, already taking his son to so many matches.
The 30-year-old and his father have often been seen in the stands cheering each other during different Premier League and Champions League matches. Their common love of Aston Villa has turned going to games into a favorite experience for them both.
William expressed his hopes for George, stating, “I’m kind of hoping they’ll all find their own teams in time,” acknowledging that while he would love for his son to share his allegiance, he understands if George chooses otherwise.
While on their visit to PSG match, the excitement was evident. Prince William noted, “I thought: ‘You know what, 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.’” This feeling adds to the importance of the event for both the prince and his son.
Prince William got in on the act, sharing the story of his own journey as a football fan. He shared a wonderful memory of becoming an Aston Villa fan as a school boy. Back in the day I have to say I became really interested in football at school. I was looking around for clubs. All my classmates back in school were Manchester United or Chelsea supporters. Not for any particularly deep reason, I just wanted to be different, not pick the teams everybody else was picking. I kind of wished for a team that was more of a mid-table variety that could provide me with more of those exhilarating emotional rollercoaster moments. Aston Villa’s always had a great history.
Though dreaming of the dream result, Aston Villa ultimately found the challenge of PSG’s deep, talented roster too much to surmount. You could see the disappointment on both William and George’s faces as they walked out of the stadium.
