Prince William and Prince George attended Aston Villa's Champions League match against Barcelona at Camp Nou on Tuesday evening, where a tender moment between father and son in the stands delighted royal fans.
The future king took his eldest son to watch their beloved Aston Villa play at the Barcelona stadium, with the pair seated together in the VIP box. It was the first time Prince George has been seen publicly since he started at Eton College in September, and he is believed to be on his half-term break.
A 3-0 defeat for Aston Villa
Any hopes of a historic win in Europe for the princes likely lasted just seven minutes, when teenage star Lamine Yamal opened the scoring. A brace from former Leeds United forward Raphinha shortly after half-time steered the Catalans to a 3-0 victory.
In a social media post, Barcelona's official account wrote: "FC Barcelona is honoured to welcome His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and His Royal Highness Prince George to the Spotify Camp Nou. Thank you for joining us for a special evening of Champions League football featuring your beloved Aston Villa."
Fans react to father-son moment
In pictures taken at the game, a tired-looking George can be seen leaning on his father's shoulder. The sweet moment was shared online, sending royal fans into a frenzy.
One fan wrote on X: "This is major!!! A 13-year-old son totally loving and feeling safe in the embrace of his father … that's not very common, I assure you. This is beautiful to see."
Another said: "Aww, Prince George might be a teenager now, but he still leans on Dad. So sweet!!" A third fan commented: "This pic speaks volumes about father and son. Love, comfort, safety and the warmth of a father embracing his son." Someone else added: "You're never too old for a cuddle from your parents…"
First public appearance since starting Eton
The royal appearance in Barcelona is the first time George has been seen publicly since becoming a boarder at Eton College, the school his father also attended. It is believed George is still on half-term and is expected to return to the classroom next week.
Princess Catherine, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis did not attend the football game on Tuesday with William and George. It is likely they could have instead watched it from their Forest Lodge home in Windsor.
