Prince William has revealed that his father, King Charles, 'hates' football, according to a candid discussion on the New Heights podcast. The Prince of Wales made the disclosure while chatting with NFL stars Jason and Travis Kelce ahead of England's World Cup last-16 win over Mexico.
Royal Revelation on Podcast
During the podcast, Travis Kelce asked Prince William whether King Charles had encouraged his love for football. The heir to the throne responded unequivocally: 'Absolutely not. My father hates football.' The comment drew laughter from the Kelce brothers.
Prince William, who serves as patron of the Football Association, explained that his family does not have a long history with the sport. 'My football love came from friends taking me to my first match,' he said. 'And at school growing up, you can't avoid the football chat.'
First Match and Aston Villa Fandom
The Prince recalled that former England manager Gareth Southgate, then an Aston Villa player, was on the pitch during his first match—a 2000 FA Cup semi-final against Bolton. 'He reminded me the first match I saw, he was playing in it,' William noted. Aston Villa won on penalties, and William's support for the club was cemented.
Although Villa lost the 2000 FA Cup final to Chelsea, William has since seen them win the Europa League in May 2024, defeating Freiburg 3-0. He now hopes to see England triumph in the World Cup; the Three Lions face Norway in the quarter-finals on Saturday.
