The best photos of Prince William watching football as he takes son George to Paris game

Prince William showed his support for Aston Villa on Wednesday night as he attended their match in Parc des Princes alongside his son George.

Aston Villa are now facing elimination from the Champions League after losing 1-3 to Paris Saint-Germain in the French capital in the quarter-final and the pain was nothing new for the heir to the throne.

William said taking his eldest child to the match was a “big deal” as the pair had to travel to Paris and stay up beyond the 11-year-old’s bedtime.

“I’ve got my son here as well, so I’m on best behaviour,” William said on TNT Sports.

“But 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.

“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.”

June 1998, Prince Charles and Prince Harry, travelled on the Eurostar to Paris for the World Cup football match between England and Colombia. pic.twitter.com/Zg012sQ22Y

— Sussexes❤️👑🐼🌸 (@Sussex98) December 1, 2019

Prince Harry, at a similar age, travelled to Lens to watch England beat Colombia in the 1998 World Cup alongside his father, the then Prince Charles.

But in recent years it has been William who has become a better known football fan and he has been the patron of the Football Association since 2024 as well as its president since 2006.

As to why he supports Villa, the prince commented: “A long time ago at school, I got into football big time. 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.”

Here are some of the best photos of William in the stands from over the years.

Agony at Villa Park

William can’t bear to look as his team play out a Champions League group game in autumn 2024 (PA)

Goal, big goal! Get in!

William jumps for joy as England score at Euro 2024 in Germany (PA)

Yes! Oh, wait … Poor decision

Aston Villa score … (PA)

… only for the goal to be ruled out (PA)

A head scratcher

William can’t believe what he is seeing during a Carabao Cup tie in 2021 (PA)

God save the Queen

The assumption being that Will and Kate are joining in with the national anthem and not a chant mocking the opposition goalie in 2020 (PA)

Masking the emotion

Remember masks in football stadiums? Will donned for for the early rounds of Euro 2020 (played in 2021) (PA)

No mates

William has a row to himself at Spartans FC's Ainslie Park Stadium in Edinburgh (he was there in 2021 to hear about a mental health programme) (PA)

Tables are turning

Will is perhaps at his most animated while playing (and winning?) at table football (PA)

Loving the Carew

The prince is joined by Villa legend John Carew in the stands. The pair have sat together a few times (PA)

Pure joy/or grief (we can’t tell)

Hard to say what William was expressing in 2013 (PA)

‘You’ve got to hold and give and do it at the right time …’

William leaves the pre-match pep talk to his wife (PA)