As the Prince of Wales continues to navigate a difficult time after both his wife and his father were diagnosed with cancer, a source close to the family says soccer is helping Prince William stay afloat.
"He has been hugely buoyed by the results of Aston Villa," a source told People, referring to Prince William's favorite soccer (read: fútbol) team. "You shouldn’t overlook the importance of soccer in these moments."
Recently, on May 2, the Prince of Wales was seen cheering on his favorite team at their home stadium, Villa Park in Birmingham, as they took on the Olympiacos during the Europa Conference League semi-final.
And back in early April, Prince William enjoyed some one-on-one time with his son, Prince George, while watching the EFA Europa Conference League 2023/24 Quarter-final match between Aston Villa and Lille OSC.
The Prince of Wales is the president of the Football Association and for years has made it known that he's a big Aston Villa supporter.
"A long time ago at school, I got into football big time," Prince William said, as previously reported by The Sun. "All my friends were Chelsea or Manchester United fans, and I didn't really want to follow the run-of-the-mill team. I wanted to have a team that was more mid-table that could give me more emotional rollercoaster moments. Aston Villa has always had a great history."
After watching soccer with his son in April of this year, Prince William proudly shared that his son is a big Aston Villa fan, too.
“Oh yes, he’s loving it,” William said after the match, according to Neil Moxley, a sports journalist who shared a video of the exchange on X, formerly known as Twitter.
After Kate Middleton announced she was diagnosed with an unspecified type of cancer and is undergoing preventative cancer treatments, Prince William was reportedly "furious" over the online attacks, public speculation and endless conspiracy theories regarding his wife and his family.
According to the Daily Mail’s Rebecca English, the Prince of Wales also felt like the “weight of the world on his shoulders.
“I know he is angry, frustrated, and, yes, deeply disappointed at what has transpired over recent weeks,” she wrote at the time. “‘When will it all stop?’ he is said to have asked."
Reports also indicate that in the wake of his wife's cancer diagnosis, Prince William feels "guilty" for not "protecting" the Princess of Wales as she continues to focus on her health.
"William is undoubtedly irritated about what has happened—he won’t be annoyed with Kate, but annoyed that such a ridiculous fuss has been made over nothing and it’s all been pushed right out of proportion," a royal expert told OK!.
"He will also feel like this because he promised Kate’s parents that he would protect and look after her, so he’ll feel guilty for any hardships she goes through because all she’s done is fall in love with someone who happened to be a future King."
