Prince William enjoys off-duty afternoon as he makes lowkey appearance in a special public place

The Prince of Wales spent a rare, solo afternoon cheering on his favourite football team, delighting fellow supporters with his surprise and low-key appearance.

In case royal fans were wondering which football team Prince William supports, the father-of-three once again made his allegiance very clear, as he enjoyed a rare, low-key afternoon cheering on Aston Villa on Thursday, October 5th.

Donning a burgundy jumper - one of Villa's iconic colours - the Prince of Wales joined his fellow Villa supporters at Villa Park in Birmingham, for what would be a nail-biting 90 minutes. Thankfully for fans, William included, their day ended in jubilation with Villa managing to gain a one-nil lead in the final moments of the match.

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The players themselves also received a visit from William, describing him as a 'proper supporter' as he popped into their dressing room to offer a pre-game pep-talk, before returning to congratulate them on their win.

Detailing the bond between the team and their royal fan, player Matty Cash told The Mirror, "Prince William loves it here, He had a few words with us before kick-off - and afterwards. He told us that normally when he's at home he's shouting and screaming at the television. Here, he's a bit calmer. I'm sure at the end he was going crazy like everyone."

Cash then added, "He’s just a really good guy. He speaks to us like normal guys and we treat him that way when he comes. He knows all our names - our nicknames - everything. He is a proper supporter who just likes to be out and around the lads. He’s just a massive Villa fan."

This is one of the many times we've seen William show his support for the club, at various matches and even working alongside the Aston Villa Foundation. Plus, as the President of the Football Association, work and play often coincide for the Prince of Wales, as he gets the opportunity to attend major tournaments and cheer on the England squads. 

It's also a passion he now shares with his children, in particular George and Charlotte. Appearing on the Peter Crouch podcast in 2020, William said, "I took George and Charlotte to the Norwich, Villa game, George started to get really into it by the end."

"I will try not to persuade him to be a Villa fan, I will let him choose his own way, I think having a variety of clubs, it’s about what fits for him."