Prince William teases exciting overseas trip after confessing King Charles 'hates' his son's hobby

The Prince of Wales will hop on a flight if this criteria is met but it sounds like his father probably wouldn't want to come

A composite of Prince William in London in June 2026 and King Charles in Scotland in June 2026
(Image credit: Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage via Getty // Photo by Jane Barlow - Pool/Getty Images)

The Prince of Wales's holiday plans with the family are always kept private but there could be a much more high-profile trip on the horizon this summer. Prince William has revealed that he'll be jetting off if the England Football Team is in the World Cup Final.

As President of the Football Association and a huge fan of the sport he wouldn't want to miss it, and he said as much on Travis and Jason Kelce's New Heights podcast. Recorded before England's remarkable win against Mexico to reach the final 16, the hosts asked William if he would travel over if the squad makes the finals.

He responded, "Definitely. If we're in the finals", but there's one royal who won't be heading to North America with him. King Charles and Prince William have a lot in common but father and son agree to disagree when it comes to football.


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Although the Royal Family is famously sporty, the King doesn't share William's passion for football and had no involvement in his son supporting Aston Villa in the Premier League. The Prince was asked directly about this, as it's common for younger generations to support the same team as their dads.

"Absolutely not," William replied, laughing. "My father hates football. My family [hasn't] got a particularly long history with football. There are a few of us who support teams."

He might not have grown up attending matches with King Charles, but William has introduced Prince George to the wonderful game. The 12-year-old is every bit as into football as the Prince of Wales and also proudly supports Aston Villa.

Prince William has been open about not wanting to influence his children's choice of teams and is actually happy for them to support opposing sides.

Prince William and Prince George of Wales celebrate the second goal of Aston Villa during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final Second Leg football match

(Image credit: Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)

"I'm kind of hoping they'll all find their own teams in time," he said in the past. "They don't all have to be Villa fans. I'm trying not to be biased but obviously they see how passionate I am about it and they watch the matches with me."

Regardless of what Premier League team Prince George, Charlotte and Louis support, they can all join their father in getting behind England in the World Cup. They're now on summer break from school which also means they're free to travel too.

It's unlikely he'd bring all three with him if England makes it to the final as he would be there as FA President, but Prince George has been to two Euros finals with the Prince of Wales and I can imagine him going to the World Cup.

Prince George and Prince William react during the UEFA EURO 2024 final match between Spain and England at Olympiastadion on July 14, 2024

(Image credit: Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)

At the Euros in 2021 he matched William in a suit and royal expert Duncan Larcombe claimed to OK! that he wanted to emulate his "absolute hero".

"William would never have normally taken him to the football because it was an official outing in his role as president of the FA, but George absolutely begged to be allowed to come along," he added.

He's old enough to entertain himself whilst William is chatting to others and as he's set to be King one day, he's used to meeting officials too. Of course, Prince William's remark on the podcast suggests a trip will only happen if England is in the final and there's still a long way to go.

Emma is a Royal Editor with nine years of experience in publishing. She specialises in writing about the British Royal Family, covering everything from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her extensive royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the latest royal outing or unmissable show to add to your to-watch list, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!

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