Prince William made a notable revelation about his father’s relationship with sport during his appearance on the New Heights podcast. The Prince of Wales disclosed that King Charles has little interest in football, directly contradicting any assumption that the heir to the throne inherited his passion for the game from the royal family.When Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce enquired whether King Charles had sparked his devotion to Aston Villa, William responded candidly. “Absolutely not. My father hates football,” the 44-year-old told the NFL brothers, prompting a visibly taken aback reaction from Travis.William went on to acknowledge that the Royal Family possesses little footballing heritage overall. “My family haven’t got a particularly long history with football. There are a few of us who support teams,” he told the Kelce brothers.
How Prince William developed his passion for football
The heir to the throne explained that his love for the sport developed through childhood friendships rather than any royal influence. “My football love came from friends taking me to my first match and at school growing up. You can’t avoid the football chat. It’s everywhere,” William revealed.
The Prince of Wales shared that his love for the sport came from childhood friends rather than family influence.Image credit (Instagram)
He credited schoolmates with introducing him to the game that would become a lifelong obsession. “Some school friends or childhood friends of mine took me to my first game,” he added tracing his football journey back to formative years shaped by peers rather than parental guidance.
Prince William’s role in football and family allegiances
According to GB News, William serves as Patron of the Football Association and has become increasingly visible in his support for the sport. He recently celebrated in Istanbul when Aston Villa claimed their first European trophy since 1982, defeating SC Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final.The Prince has successfully passed his enthusiasm for the sport to the next generation, though family allegiances remain divided. Prince George has embraced his father’s loyalty, proudly supporting Aston Villa. His sister Princess Charlotte, however, has opted for a different path entirely, choosing to back Premier League competitors Chelsea.The youngest of the Wales children, Prince Louis, has yet to declare his footballing colours and reportedly remains undecided about which club will earn his loyalty. The divided household allegiances no doubt make for lively viewing when the two sides meet on the pitch.
World Cup plans and invitation to the Kelces brothers
William also discussed his plans for the ongoing World Cup tournament, with England set to face Mexico in a match kicking off at 1 am UK time on Monday morning. Pubs across the nation have been granted extended hours to accommodate supporters eager to watch the Three Lions in action.Should Thomas Tuchel’s men progress past Mexico, they would face either Brazil or Norway in the quarter-finals. The Prince confirmed to the NFL brothers that he intends to travel across the Atlantic should England reach the final of the competition.In a generous gesture, he extended an invitation to Travis and Jason Kelce to join him for the occasion, offering the brothers a firsthand experience of a potential historic moment for English football.