The Prince of Wales has arrived in Istanbul to watch beloved Aston Villa take on SC Freiburg in the Europa League final
Credit: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Prince William traveled to Istanbul to watch beloved Aston Villa compete in the Europa League final against SC Freiburg
- The future King previously revealed why bringing Prince George to major Aston Villa matches is “a big deal” for him
- Back home, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are expected to stay up late to watch the historic match unfold on TV
Prince William is flying the flag for his favorite soccer team on one of the sport’s biggest nights.
The Prince of Wales, 43, traveled to Istanbul on Wednesday, May 20, to cheer on his beloved Aston Villa in the Europa League final against German side SC Freiburg.
The Birmingham-rooted club is chasing its first major European trophy since 1982 — the same year William was born following Villa’s European Cup triumph.
A longtime Villa supporter, William has never hidden his devotion to the team. Before departing for Turkey, he shared a rallying cry on social media, posting: “Come on Villa! Good luck in tonight’s Europa League final. UTV!” — short for “Up the Villa!” — before signing off simply with “W.”
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William has been closely following the club’s European run this season. Earlier this month, he attended Aston Villa’s Europa League semifinal on May 7, where the team secured its place in the Istanbul showdown. After the match, he was filmed enthusiastically singing along with fans to Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” as celebrations erupted around the stadium.
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The prince has also passed his passion for Aston Villa down to his family, including children Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8.
Prince William has frequently brought George along to matches, and during a trip to Paris in April 2025, he opened up about why sharing those moments with his eldest son matters so much.
"I thought, 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," William told TNT Sports ahead of Villa’s first European quarterfinal in decades.
"I hope it's not 43 years until the next time it happens, but I think those memories are really important to create and to bring him along tonight is a big deal for me," he said.
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The royal family’s Villa fandom was also on display the morning after William attended Aston Villa’s May 7 semifinal victory. Joining wife Kate Middleton at a Buckingham Palace garden party the next day, William joked that he had “bags under the eyes,” according to The Telegraph, after the emotional night.
Kate also revealed their children had hoped to join their father at the game — but instead struck a compromise at home.
“We let them stay up and watch it,” she told guests.
It's likely the royal siblings will once again be allowed a late night to watch the action unfold from home.
William has spoken about the superstitious rituals he undergoes when he is watching matches at home.
"If we’re not doing very well, I start moving round the house quite quickly and I put the children in different positions hoping that’s going to change our luck,” he told The Sun in March 2025.
Credit: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty
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The prince doesn't just love the camaraderie of the stadiums and the joy of seeing his team win, he relishes swapping stories and experiences with fellow supporters.
When he was in Birmingham on an official visit, he took a detour to meet with a group of fans who were headed to an Aston Villa game later that day. "We spoke about the club, the transfers, the pending Champions League trip to Monaco and all things Aston Villa. He asked many questions — he's got a good level of interest," longstanding supporter Steve Jones told Hello! at the time.
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