Prince William has been an Aston Villa fan for years, with the Prince of Wales often seen supporting the Birmingham-based club, including during their 3-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain last week.
William has previously spoken about his love of the football club, telling Gary Lineker back in 2015: “A long time ago at school, I got into 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.”
However, in a new interview with The Sun, the heir to the throne has further opened up about his love for Villa, even joking about a shared “connection”. William noted he had a “nice connection” with the club as they last lifted the European Cup in 1982, the year in which he was born.
© GettyHe joked to the publication: “I wanted to have a team that was more mid-table, that could give me the more emotional rollercoaster moments. To be honest, now, looking back, that was a bad idea – I could have had an easier time!“
Despite his love for the team, William revealed that he hadn’t been to see the club play until he was 17, when a family friend brought him to the game.
“It was fantastic,” he reflected. “I sat with all the fans with my red beanie on, and I was sat with all the Brummie fans and had a great time. It was the atmosphere, the camaraderie, and I really felt that there was something I could connect with.”
William continued: “I kept an eye on Villa from then on but didn’t get too involved initially. But Villa being relegated to the Championship in 2016 got me even more interested, strangely.”
Joint visits with Thomas van Straubenzee
William and his close friend, Thomas van Straubenzee, have attended various games together, including one which took place in Monaco.
© Getty ImagesThe pair have a strong bond, with Thomas being an usher at William’s wedding in 2011, with William returning the favour two years later. The 42-year-old is also the godfather to Princess Charlotte.
The father-of-three has also been seen with close friends William and Edward van Cutsem during matches.
Shared love with George
William shares his love of Aston Villa with his eldest son, Prince George, who joined his father at last week’s match.
Speaking to reporters at the match, the royal said: “I want George to experience a night out away from home in a big European competition. I think those memories are really important to create and bringing him along tonight is a big deal to me.”
© Getty ImagesThe father-of-three will no doubt be thrilled that his son is such an avid follower, quipping back in 2015: “He can support whoever he wants, but if he supports Villa it would be fantastic, because I’d love to be able to go to the odd match with him in the future.”
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