Prince William whisks himself away for an evening watching Aston Villa play without Kate
The future king is a big footie fan!
Prince William took a brief respite from royal duties to indulge in one of his greatest passions – Aston Villa.
On Tuesday (January 21), the Prince of Wales, 42, made a surprise appearance at Monaco’s Louis II Stadium to watch his beloved Aston Villa play in the Champions League group stage.
Prince William watches Aston Villa play in Monaco
Accompanied by his close friend Thomas van Straubenzee, Prince William looked engaged as Aston Villa fell to a 1-0 defeat.
Thomas, who is Princess Charlotte’s godfather, has been a trusted confidant of William since their days at Ludgrove prep school.
William is also godfather to Thomas’ daughter.
This latest outing follows William’s surprise visit to Birmingham last week, where he mingled with fellow Aston Villa supporters at a Wetherspoons pub.
Steve Jones is also a Villa fan who spoke with William during the visit. “He was fantastic,” Steve gushed to the press. “I was quite amazed by how engaged he was with the club and his interest. He’s not a fair-weather fan. He really loves the club with a passion.
“We spoke about the club, the transfers, the pending Champions League trip to Monaco, and all things Aston Villa. He asked many questions, he’s got a good level of interest.”
According to Steve, William even discussed his children’s football allegiances.
“Young George is a Villa fan, but he didn’t want all three [children] to follow suit,” he revealed. “He was massively interested and seemed a really genuine guy and all he wanted to do is talk about Villa.”
Elsewhere this week, William showcased another skill during a visit to Centrepoint in Ealing, west London, on Tuesday, where he tried his hand at boxing.
He’s not a fair-weather fan. He really loves the club with a passion.
Donning gloves, the prince joined a group of young people supported by the homelessness charity in a sparring session with coach Charlie Beatt.
Admitting it had “been a while” since he last boxed, William threw left and right jabs before finishing with a left hook.
“I’m working up a sweat already,” the prince quipped.
After receiving praise for his technique, he joked: “I might get back into boxing!”
The visit highlighted his long-standing commitment to Centrepoint, where he has served as patron for 20 years.
A spokesperson emphasised William’s dedication to his Homewards initiative, which seeks to eradicate homelessness in all its forms.
Prince William uses ‘fake name’ on football forums
In other news and relating to William’s love of football, the prince has reportedly been using a fake name to stay connected with the club’s community.
The Prince of Wales revealed his secret during his recent visit to the Birmingham pub.
Footie fan Steve shared the surprising revelation with The Athletic.
“He goes under different names and he posts on there because that’s how he gets the feeling of what’s going on and what’s the opinion,” he said.
He reportedly admitted he’d like to share more of his own views but feels constrained by his royal role.
Known for having a love for football, William served as President of the FA from 2006 to 2024 and still remains a patron.
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