Prince William was spotted celebrating with excitement after watching Aston Villa secure their spot in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The 42-year-old Prince of Wales watched his favorite football team claim a decisive 3-0 victory over Belgian side Club Brugge at Villa Park in Birmingham on Wednesday.
As he made his way to his car after the match, William confidently told reporters, “See you in Paris”, hinting at his plans to support Villa in their next clash against Paris Saint-Germain.
The royal was joined in the stands by his childhood friend, property mogul Thomas van Straubenzee, who is also Princess Charlotte’s godfather.
This marks Aston Villa’s first-ever appearance in the Champions League, and they are now aiming for their first European title since winning the European Cup in 1982—the same year William was born.
The Prince has passed his passion for football down to his children, with Prince George also an enthusiastic Aston Villa supporter. William and Kate first took George and Charlotte to a Villa match in 2019, where they watched the team play against Norwich City.
Ahead of the big game, William visited Aston Villa’s training session on Tuesday, where he observed from the sidelines and spoke with players Morgan Rogers and Matty Cash. Later, he carried out a public engagement at Sporting Khalsa FC in Willenhall, West Midlands, to learn about its referee training course, part of the FA’s Reflective and Representative campaign.
As the FA’s patron, William has long championed football, reminiscing in 2022 about his early days playing as a defender. Speaking to England stars Harry Kane and Declan Rice on COPA90’s Game of 5s, he recalled: “I was stuck at the back and told to just tackle—safety first!”
William also shared how watching England play in big tournaments shaped his love for the sport. He fondly remembered Wayne Rooney’s rise, saying: “There was something very powerful about the way Wayne played and the steel he brought to the England team.”
