PRINCE William has become well known for his avid support of Premier League club Aston Villa, often being spotted at matches.
But where did his love affair with the team start? Here’s all you need to know.
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Prince William with Aston Villa captain John McGinn Credit: UEFA via Getty Images
Why does Prince William support Aston Villa?
William started supporting Aston Villa during his school days, wanting to be different to his classmates who supported more successful teams at the time.
He told the BBC in 2015 what drew him to support the Birmingham-based club.
He said: “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.”
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He went on to talk about how he fell in love with the team during an FA Cup semi-final.
He said: “Aston Villa’s always had a great history. I have got friends of mine who support Aston Villa and one of the first FA Cup games I went to was Bolton v Aston Villa back in 2000. Sadly, Villa went on to lose to Chelsea (in the final).
“It was fantastic, 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.”
He has often been seen watching games at Villa park and away from home, with a number of famous faces acoompanying him.
On a number of occasions, William has been spotted with former Villa striker John Carew, a player he befriended and allegedly convinced to move to the club.
William has also been seen with Prince George, who is also a fan of the club.
He has also held a number of roles with the FA, including the position of president of the association from 2006 to 2022, and since then has been Patron of the Football Association.
He attended the FA Cup final in 2015 where Villa played Arsenal, ultimately handing the trophy to Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta and vice captain Per Mertesacker as The Gunners won 4-0.
Who do the rest of the Royal Family support?
Despite William and George supporting Aston Villa, the rest of the Royal Family support a number of different teams.
The late Queen invited Arsenal to Buckingham Palace in 2007, becoming the first Monarch to entertain a football team at the residence.
Former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas even suggested that she told them of her fondness for the club.
He told Spanish radio: “It seems the Queen follows football and she told us she was an Arsenal fan.
“She appeared to definitely know who I was and we exchanged a few special words.”
However, she was also said to be fond of West Ham, despite wanting to be seen as neutral.
King Charles is a fan of Burnley, admitting to supporting them in 2012 at Windsor Castle.
He was even handed a VIP season ticket by the club after speaking highly of them.
William’s brother Harry admitted to being a fan of Arsenal in 2017, even claiming in New Zealand in 2017 that ““most of the royal family are Arsenal fans”.
Princess Kate is thought to support Chelsea, after it was claimed by a child who spoke to her at a charity event in 2015, saying: “We high-fived because she supports Chelsea and I support Chelsea. I love people who support Chelsea.”
