Prince George has his head in the game. The 11-year-old son of Prince William and Kate Middleton joined his dad, as well as thousands of rabid soccer fans, at the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg match on April 15 in Birmingham, England, where Paris Saint-Germain took on Aston Villa FC. George, who also accompanied the Prince of Wales to the first leg of the matchup in Paris on April 9, couldn't contain his excitement during the high-stakes faceoff as he let out a hearty cheer after Aston Villa captain John McGinn scored his team’s second goal of the game.
And not to be outdone, William—who, along with George, shares kids Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, with the Princess of Wales—also had his emotions on full display as he stood up and cheered excitedly at a crucial moment in the match. But the father-son duo—who are first and second in line, respectively, to the British throne—were taken on quite an emotional rollercoaster during the sporting event as Aston Villa was ultimately defeated by PSG with a final score of 5-4.
In fact, William, 42, appeared visibly upset towards the end of the game as he buried his head in his hands. While William—a devout Aston Villa fan—seems to share a special bond over soccer with his firstborn, he’s previously insisted he doesn’t expect to cheer on the same teams as his kids forever. “I’m kind of hoping they’ll all find their own teams in time,” he told The Sun in an interview published March 13. “They don’t all have to be Villa fans. I’m trying not to be biased but obviously they see how passionate I am about it and they watch the matches with me.”
The royal father and son duo were spotted in the stands at Villa Park, where they were put through an emotional rollercoaster as they watched Aston Villa narrowly miss out on a Champions League semi-final place after their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. William was seen looking concerned in the stands as his side went down by two goals in the first half. However, after a spirited comeback, he was pictured on his feet punching the air when Ezri Konza scored the third of Villa's goals, keeping semi-final hopes alive for a moment longer at Villa Park.
George wore his claret and blue scarf and was seen waving his arms in celebration with his father after the goals, both cheering and clapping for the Birmingham side. One more goal would have brought the aggregate score to 5-5, forcing the game into extra time and keeping the Champions League dream alive for the Villans. But after a 3-1 defeat in the first leg in Paris last week, the Villans' 3-2 win was not enough to see them through to the semi-final for the first time in more than four decades.
Earlier, on April 9, at the first leg in Paris, William had expressed his nerves and excitement, telling pundits Ally McCoist and Rio Ferdinand that he was "pretty terrified" and "nervous" ahead of the match. He added, "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."
William previously praised Villa manager Unai Emery, calling him an "absolute gentleman" and a "lovely guy." He remarked on the coach’s tactical skills, saying, "I mean, I try when I get the odd chance to talk to him, to try and take some nuggets of information from him, but he's very guarded in what he says and how he does stuff." William was also in the crowd for Villa's victory over Bayern Munich earlier in the competition and away to Monaco in January 2025.
In other royal news, Graham Craker, a former bodyguard for Prince Harry and Prince William, died at the age of 77 in April 2025. Craker was notably with the boys when they learned their mother, Princess Diana, had died and participated in her funeral services. The Duke and Duchess of Westminster announced on March 12 that they are expecting their first baby, with a spokesperson confirming the duchess is due in the summer.
Meanwhile, Luxembourg's Prince Frederik died on March 1 at the age of 22 after a battle with PolG mitochondrial disease, a rare genetic disorder. His father, Prince Robert, expressed his sorrow, stating, "Frederik knows that he is my Superhero, as he is to all of our family, and to so very many good friends and now in great part thanks to his PolG Foundation, to so very many people the world over."
Back in the UK, Prince Harry reached a settlement with News Group Newspapers on January 22, 2025, after suing the organization in 2019 for alleged unlawful actions by journalists and private investigators. The deal included the company paying "substantial damages" and issuing a "full and unequivocal apology" to Harry.
In health news, the Princess of Wales announced on January 14 that she is in remission after completing her cancer treatments. "It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery," she wrote. On a lighter note, Meghan Markle mourned the death of her rescue beagle, Guy, on January 7, expressing her grief on Instagram.
Finally, Meghan has made a return to social media, debuting a solo Instagram page on January 1, 2025, and announcing a new Netflix series titled With Love, Meghan, which aims to blend practical how-to’s with candid conversations.
As the royal family navigates both triumphs and tragedies, the latest events highlight their human side, reminding the public that even those in the highest positions face emotional challenges and joys.
