The VIP box at Villa Park lived a special night. There, between burgundy scarves, suffered goals and emotions to the limit, Prince William and his eldest son, Prince George, enthusiastically encouraged Aston Villa in their match against Paris Saint-Germain.
At his side, the Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor, and his wife, Olivia Henson -pregnant with their first child-, shared a box and nerves.
Although Villa won 3-2, it was not enough to advance to the semifinals. But the family scene, with William and George completely into the game, stole the cameras’ attention.
George wore a scarf displaying the colors of both teams, and William stood at attention, with a drink in hand.
The Duke and Duchess of Westminster, meanwhile, were seen smiling, proudly sporting English club scarves. It was also one of Olivia’s first public appearances since her pregnancy was announced.
Why does Prince William support Aston Villa?
The previous week, father and son had also attended the first leg in Paris, where PSG won 3-1. From the stands of the Parc des Princes, William shared with commentators Ally McCoist and Rio Ferdinand his enthusiasm:
“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 away from home in a big European competition. I hope it’s not 43 years until the next one happens, but I think those memories are really important to create and bringing him along tonight is a big deal for me.”
The prince has for years been one of the most visible soccer fans in the royal family. He has been president of the Football Association since 2006, has attended FA Cup finals and was recently appointed official patron of the body.
His allegiance to Aston Villa comes from his school years.
“A long time ago at school, I got in to football big time. I was looking around for clubs. All my friends at school were either Man United fans or Chelsea fans and I didn’t want to follow the run of the mill teams. I wanted to have a team that was more mid-table that could give me more emotional rollercoaster moments. Aston Villa’s always had a great history,” he explained in 2015 to Gary Lineker.
And that passion seems to be rubbing off on his children. George, 11, is already a regular at the stadiums with his parents. William has said he doesn’t impose a team on them, although he humorously admits, “I am biased but they come to games with Villa so it will likely be Villa.” Although he also laughingly confessed, “I said you can support anyone but Chelsea, so naturally he supports Chelsea.”
Within the family, everyone has their own preference. King Charles revealed in 2012 that he has an affinity for Burnley, especially after doing charity work in the area.
Sending our congratulations and best wishes to His Majesty King Charles III and The Queen Consort on their #Coronation 👑
We’ll be marking the occasion by singing the National Anthem before our game against Cardiff City on Monday 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/ii1dHQY1bb
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) May 6, 2023
“A consortium of my charities, including the British Asian Trust, has been working in Burnley. Hence, some of you asked this evening whether I support a British football club and I said, ‘Yes, Burnley’. And people have responded, ‘Burnley?’ Oh yes, because Burnley has been through some very challenging times and I’m trying to find ways of helping to regenerate and raise aspirations and self-esteem in that part of the world.”
Princess Catherine has been spotted at several matches alongside William, although at one charity event, a child revealed: “We high-fived because she supports Chelsea and I support Chelsea. I love people who support Chelsea.”