Prince William and his son Prince George experienced an emotional journey as they watched Aston Villa’s Champions League quarter-final against Paris St-Germain on Wednesday. Despite the Prince’s “lucky clothes,” Villa suffered a 3-1 defeat, leaving them with a tough challenge for the return leg at Villa Park next Tuesday.
The long-time Aston Villa supporter was joined by his son and childhood friend Thomas van Straubenzee at Parc des Princes for the high-stakes match. Before the game, Prince William admitted to feeling “pretty terrified” and “nervous,” but remained hopeful, predicting a 2-1 victory for Villa.
“It’s a big deal to take George, who’s wearing a Villa scarf,” the Prince said, visibly excited when Villa took the lead through Morgan Rogers. Father and son celebrated with a hug and fist pumps, thrilled by the early success.
However, PSG quickly turned the match around, scoring three unanswered goals and leaving Villa with a challenging task ahead. Despite the setback, Prince William stayed upbeat, especially for his son’s experience. “It’s been 43 years since anything like this has happened for 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.
n a playful moment, TNT Sports pundits Rio Ferdinand and Ally McCoist joked with the Prince about being on a “lads tour.” Prince William responded with a smile, saying, “Well, I’ve got my son here as well, so I’m on best behaviour.”
The Prince also discussed his children’s potential support for Villa, saying 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, Prince William engaged with Villa players, sharing insights into the team’s tactics. Ferdinand teased him, saying, “Do not go for a punditry job, please, because I could be out of the game,” after hearing the Prince’s analysis.
Prince William’s joyful reaction to Villa’s early lead quickly went viral on social media, with fans calling the father-son moment ‘cute’ as they celebrated together.
The Prince’s connection to Aston Villa goes back to his school days, where he chose the club for its mid-table status and emotional highs and lows. “I wanted to have a team that could give me more emotional rollercoaster moments,” he told the BBC in 2015.
Although Villa’s fortunes have fluctuated, Prince William has remained a dedicated fan, enjoying the camaraderie and atmosphere of the game. He recalled attending a 2000 FA Cup match between Villa and Bolton, saying, “It was the atmosphere, the camaraderie, and I really felt that there was something I could connect with.”
As the Prince and George left Paris, they were already looking forward to the return leg at Villa Park, hopeful for a dramatic turnaround.
