Prince William showcased his football knowledge as he engaged in light-hearted banter with members of the public at Ascot Racecourse. The Prince of Wales, looking dapper in a top hat, sat alongside his wife, Princess Kate, in a horse-drawn carriage at the Berkshire racecourse.
When a member of the crowd shouted 'Up the Villa' in reference to the second-in-line's beloved team, he replied: 'I hear people saying that now.' The prince is a well-known supporter of the West Midlands club, which thrashed SC Freiburg 3-0 to win the Europa League in Istanbul in May.
The future king then pointed to the person in question and asked if they were a Villa fan. When they confirmed that was the case, he clenched his fist and smiled in a sign of solidarity. He ended by saying 'good season' in reference to the Premier League club's cup win and their fourth place finish – both of which give them Champions League football next season under coach Unai Emery.
Kate wore a bright yellow dress complemented with an elegant hat of the same colour, with many users taking to social media to praise the couple's down-to-earth nature. Beverley Cosgrove wrote: 'Catherine looks stunning, as always, the yellow is beautiful on her.' Stacey Illingworth said: 'This is what I like about William, he's so approachable and yet still holds that regal air without being pompous. Catherine looked stunning.' Paula Ann Brown-Remnant posted: 'Love him, he is so down to earth & I bet he would be a good laugh in a pub after a few pints lol.'
William started supporting Villa during his school years at Eton because he wanted a club which was outside the usual popular choices. Following Villa's cup victory last month, William had a drink with the players after he visited them in their dressing room. Defender Matty Cash said: 'He was in there having a beer with us. He's just delighted. He's such a big supporter. He's always coming to the training ground, always at Villa Park. And he deserves moments like these and hopefully he can let his hair down.'
William also took to Instagram to congratulate the players, staff, and everyone connected to the win. He wrote: 'Amazing night! Huge congratulations to all the players, team, staff and everyone connected to the club! 44 years since the last taste of European silverware!'
