Prince William made an unexpected appearance in Monaco to watch his favorite football team, Aston Villa, compete in their latest Champions League group stage match.
Prince William, 42, was spotted looking focused in the stands at the Louis II Stadium as Monaco took the lead in the first half. Joining him was one of his closest friends, Thomas van Straubenzee, who is also the godfather to Princess Charlotte.
William and Thomas share a long-standing friendship, having met during their time at Ludgrove prep school. Thomas, a property developer, was previously married to former tennis player Lady Melissa Percy.
He later tied the knot with Lucy Lanigan-O’Keeffe, a teacher at Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s former school, Thomas’s Battersea, in 2020. The couple has two children, with William serving as godfather to their daughter, Mary.
This outing follows William’s recent show of support for Aston Villa in Birmingham, where he surprised fans at a Wetherspoons pub near New Street station. After attending the College of Paramedics’ inaugural emergency and critical care conference, the prince stopped for a glass of Bulmers cider and treated fellow supporters to a round of drinks.
One fan, Steve Jones, 56, shared his experience: “He was fantastic. I was amazed at how engaged he was with the club and his passion for it. He’s not a fair-weather fan—he genuinely loves the club.”
Steve also revealed their conversation topics: “We spoke about the club, transfers, the upcoming Champions League trip to Monaco, and all things Aston Villa. He asked a lot of questions and has a good level of interest.”
When asked about his family’s football loyalties, William reportedly said, “Young George is a Villa fan, but I didn’t want all three [children] to be Villa fans.” Steve added, “He seemed like a genuine guy who just wanted to talk about Villa.”
