On Wednesday 21 May 2025, Prince William debuted his solo trip to Scotland by visiting the Leith Community Centre in Edinburgh. The goal was to demonstrate how sports can help shape young minds, teach them the importance of team work, and give them hope for the future. The project aims at using football to reduce social isolation. During his visit, he opened up about his youngest son's support for not one but five football clubs. Find out more below.
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Prince William reveals his youngest son is a football fan
During his visit, Prince William was gifted an Aston Villa handmade poster from a young girl, who then said she supported two football clubs. Known in Scotland as the Duke of Rothesay, Prince William replied:
My youngest at the moment says he supports five different football teams.
Prince William also played a friendly football game at the Leith Community Centre, scoring on his second attempt at a penalty shootout. He later admired the artwork made by some of the people who regularly attend the centre, telling a 76-year-old David Martin:
Wow, look at this. No, this is something you made earlier. You didn’t paint that? It’s brilliant. You’re a professional artist.
Why is Prince William an Aston Villa fan?
Prince William, along with his eldest son Prince George, has famously supported the Aston Villa club for years. The father-son duo was seen attending an Aston Villa against Paris Saint Germain game during the Champions League earlier this year. Prince George was pictured wearing the club's colours: claret and blue. The Prince of Wales told TNT Sports' Ally McCoist and Rio Ferdinand why it was important to him to bring his son to the game:
I thought: You know what, it’s been 43 years since anything like this has happened in my generation as a Villa fan, and I want George to experience a night out away from home in a big European competition.
He then explained it was a 'big deal' for him to share these memories with his eldest son, as they will remain in his mind for a long time. Prince William went on:
I hope it’s not 43 years until the next one happens, but I think those memories are really important to create and bringing him along tonight is a big deal for me.
So why does the Prince support this Birmingham-based football team? He gave the reason to the BBC in 2015, saying:
A long time ago at school I got into football big time. I was looking around for clubs. All my friends at school were either Man United fans or Chelsea fans and I didn’t want to follow the run of the mill teams.
I wanted to have a team that was more mid-table that could give me more emotional rollercoaster moments. [...] I have got friends of mine who support Aston Villa and one of the first FA Cup games I went to was Bolton vs Aston Villa back in 2000. Sadly, Villa went on to lose to Chelsea.
The Prince of Wales also explained he enjoys the feeling of camaraderie that comes with watching a game surrounded by other fans of the same team. He explained:
It was fantastic, I sat with all the fans with my red beanie on, and I was sat with all the Brummie fans and had a great time. It was the atmosphere, the camaraderie and I really felt that there was something I could connect with.
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Sources used:
Independent: Why is Prince William an Aston Villa fan?
Express: Prince William reveals Louis' big dilemma after latest public outing
