The Prince of Wales rooted for Aston Villa in Birmingham on the same day his daughter, Princess Charlotte, celebrated her 9th birthday
Prince William showed his passion for his favorite soccer team during an important game.
On May 2, the Prince of Wales, aged 41, was captured at Aston Villa’s home stadium, Villa Park in Birmingham, attending the match against Greek team Olympiacos in the first leg of the Europa Conference League semi-final.
William closely followed the game from his position in a luxury box, displaying animated reactions to the on-field action, including excited cheers and smiles. Unfortunately, Olympiacos emerged victorious with a 4-2 win over Aston Villa. However, the teams are set to face each other again in the second leg of the semi-final on May 9.
Despite the defeat, a close source revealed that watching Aston Villa provided Prince William with a morale boost, particularly as both his wife, Kate Middleton, and father, King Charles, are undergoing cancer treatment.
“He has been hugely buoyed by the results of Aston Villa,” the source says. “You shouldn’t overlook the importance of soccer in these moments.”
Prince William cheers on Aston Villa in Birmingham on May 2, 2024.PRESS ASSOCIATION VIA AP IMAGES
Prince William is president of the Football Association, the governing body of English soccer, and has voiced support for the Aston Villa team since college.
He once elucidated, “A long time ago at school, I became deeply interested in football. All my friends supported either Chelsea or Manchester United, but I didn’t want to follow the mainstream. I sought a team that was more mid-table, one that could offer me more emotional rollercoaster moments. Aston Villa has always boasted a rich history,” as reported by The Sun.
Prince William attends Aston Villa soccer game on May 2, 2024.ANNA GOWTHORPE/SHUTTERSTOCK
Prince William recently spoke about his wife and children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — for the first time since Princess Kate, 42, announced on March 22 that she is undergoing chemotherapy after cancer was discovered following her January abdominal surgery.
“Do you mind if I ask how your wife and children are?” a woman asked the Prince of Wales following his visit to the charity James’ Place Newcastle on April 30.
“We’re all doing well, thank you,” the royal replied.
“And obviously Catherine?” the well-wisher continued.
“We’re all doing well,” Prince William said.
Prince William answers a well-wisher’s question about Kate Middleton on April 30, 2024.IAN FORSYTH/GETTY IMAGES
The May 2 match wasn’t the first time in recent weeks that Prince William showed his support for Aston Villa from the stands. Earlier, he and his 10-year-old son, Prince George, who shares his father’s passion for the team, attended Villa’s match against Lille OSC during the UEFA Europa Conference League 2023/24 quarterfinal in Birmingham.
Sporting a scarf in the squad’s colors, Prince George joined his father as they witnessed their team secure a victory with a score of 2-1.
Prince William and Prince George cheer on Aston Villa on April 11, 2024.MARC ATKINS/GETTY
Prince William’s latest Villa game outing fell on a special occasion: Princess Charlotte’s 9th birthday. To mark the milestone on May 2, the Prince and Princess of Wales continued a longstanding tradition and released a new portrait of their daughter.
“Happy 9th Birthday, Princess Charlotte! 🎂 Thank you for all of the kind messages today,” read the caption of the snap shared across the couple’s social media.
The photo was taken by Princess Kate in Windsor in the last few days and showed Charlotte smiling beside a garden fence with pale pink flowers. A close look revealed the blooms to be Clematis Elizabeth, a plant named after Queen Elizabeth, who died in 2022.
When she was born in 2015, William and Kate honored the Queen by naming their daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.
Princess Charlotte’s 9th birthday photo, taken by Kate Middleton.THE PRINCESS OF WALES
