Britain’s Prince William has offered a candid glimpse of his family’s relationship with football, revealing that his father, King Charles III, is far from being a fan of the game. The unexpected entry occurred during a surprise appearance on the popular new heights Podcast, hosted by NFL stars Jason and Travis Kelce.
Prince of Wales joins July 3 episode For a wide-ranging conversation that discussed his lifelong passion for football, his support for Aston Villa and the origins of that devotion. During the discussion, Travis Kelce asked whether William’s love for the Birmingham club was inspired by his father.
William’s immediate and candid reply went viral online.
“Absolutely not,” he replied. “My father hates football.”
This comment apparently caught Travis Kelce by surprise, causing him to respond with a surprised, “Oh no.”
How did Prince William become an Aston Villa supporter?
William further explained that football was never a defining part of his family’s culture when he was growing up. Instead, he credits friends from his childhood and school years for introducing him to the sport.
“My family doesn’t have a very long history with football,” Rajkumar said. “There are some of us who support the teams.”
He recalled the first time friends took him to a football match when he was young, an experience that sparked an enduring passion for the game. He further said, growing up in Britain it was impossible to avoid conversations about football as the game was a central part of everyday life.
According to William, the excitement over football at school and among friends naturally led him to become a supporter, which eventually led to his deep love for Aston Villa.
Lifelong supporter of the beautiful game
William’s enthusiasm for football has become one of the defining characteristics of his public life. In addition to supporting Aston Villa, he serves as a patron of the Football Association and makes regular appearances at major matches involving both club and country.
His commitment was demonstrated earlier this year when he traveled to Istanbul, Turkey to watch Aston Villa beat German team SC Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final. The victory secured the club’s first major European trophy since 1982 and Williams celebrated the historic achievement with supporters.
A rare family insight
The podcast appearance provided viewers with a rare and light-hearted insight into the varying sporting interests within the royal family. King Charles appears to have little enthusiasm for football, but Prince William’s love of the game has only grown stronger over the past few decades, going from hanging out with friends as a schoolboy to becoming one of his most recognizable personal passions.
Comments, first reported People The magazine provided an unusually personal moment for the heir to the British throne and highlighted how friendship rather than family tradition shaped one of his lifelong interests.
