Why Prince William supports Aston Villa as Prince of Wales set to attend Bayern Munich fixture

Aston Villa take centre-stage tonight when they welcome Bayern Munich to Villa Park for a Champions League match in B6. It's Villa Park's first game in European football's premier competition since 1983 - the year after Villa won the European Cup, with Unai Emery's side back in the big time after a superb 2023/24 campaign.

Villa got their Champions League campaign underway with a 3-0 win at BSC Young Boys last month but now host Bayern in a seismic clash that has got the club and its supporters buzzing with excitement. One fan who will certainly have an eye on proceedings is none other than Prince William, Prince of Wales, who is an ardent supporter and is looking forward to his club's return to the Champions League - and will be at the Bayern game.

But just why does he support Villa and how did he become such a big fan? We have all the answers here...

Why does Prince William support Aston Villa?

Ahead of Villa's FA Cup defeat to Arsenal in May 2015 under Tim Sherwood, he spoke to BBC presenter Gary Lineker about his Villa allegiance. Prince William said: “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. Aston Villa’s always had a great history. I have got friends of mine who support Aston Villa and one of the first FA Cup games I went to was Bolton v Aston Villa back in 2000. Sadly, Villa went on to lose to Chelsea.

“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.”

Speaking in February 2020, William said: "People like Paul Merson were playing and I thought if people like him can play as well as he does, knowing the struggles he was under at the time...this is a club I can support. "I was also born in ‘82, the year we won the (European) Cup, so I feel the history and pedigree around Villa has always been quite close to me."

READ MORE: What Villa stand to make as Champions League returns to Villa Park

READ MORE: Gary Shaw cause of death as Villa pay tribute to hero vs Bayern in Champions League

Has he attended matches?

He was pictured at in an executive box at Villa Park for the 0-0 Premier League draw against Sunderland in November 2013. Prince William was wearing a Villa coat and a Villa scarf.

He also attended the 2015 FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal, as a dignitary in the Royal Box. His Royal Highness sat next to then Villa owner Randy Lerner for the match. Villa lost the match 4-0 and Prince William presented the trophy to Arsenal and handed out runners-up medals to Tim Sherwood's players.

Wills visited Villa Park for the 1-0 Championship victory over Cardiff City in April 2018. He was pictured celebrating in an executive box with former Villa favourite John Carew as Jack Grealish grabbed a late winner.

The prince stopped after the match to chat and have photographs taken with players and staff. He attended the play-off final defeat to Fulham at Wembley in May 2018, a week after his brother Harry's wedding, and was at Carrow Road in the 2019/20 season to see the Villa whip Norwich 5-1.

Prince William was also spotted at a game against Nottingham Forest in April last year and attended the Europa Conference League semi-final against Olympiacos in May.

Have there been any other examples of his Villa support?

Upon Villa's return to European football's premier competition, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "We are Champions League! A historic season and an amazing achievement. "Thanks to Unai, the whole squad and everyone at Aston Villa. Can't wait for next season. #UTV."

He appeared to be wearing a claret tie during the wedding of his wife's sister Pippa Middleton in May 2017. In October 2017, the Duke and Duchess visited the London Stadium, the home of West Ham United. The Hammers offered their young children replica kits; however, William showed his true colours.

He jokingly said: “Right colours, wrong team.” A month later, as a guest at the Pride of Britain awards he wore a Villa scarf in a show of solidarity with Villa fan Moin Younis, who was recognised with an award for his bravery for living with a severe skin condition.

In the same month, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Villa Park and spoke to manager Steve Bruce, with the Duke praising the manager for how his team were playing. He never shies away from his his claret and blue allegiances and was spreading the Villa love in September 2018 while on a training session in Kenya with his regiment, the Irish Guards.

William met local forces but also the football team from the small town of Kinamba as part of a community project. He presented each of the players with that season's Villa shirt, giving them a mix of home and away tops, and posed for a picture.

How have Villa celebrated his support?

After the birth of all three of William and Kate's children, Villa have tweeted a welcome message including a picture of a Villa shirt printed with 'HRH'. Then-manager Steve Bruce was impressed with how much knowledge HRH had about hos Villa side when they met in November 2017.

Bruce said: “He introduced Kate to me as the ‘top man’. He talked about the squad and how we have turned it around a little bit.

"He's delighted we are moving it forward. Being a dad myself, you would like him as a son. He was impeccable. It's not often you have the future King as a supporter so it’s great for the club."