Prince William shared drinks with fellow Aston Villa supporters during a visit to Birmingham, capping off his official engagements with a casual meet-up at a city pub.
The Prince of Wales, a well-known Aston Villa supporter, arranged to meet with regular fans of the club while visiting Birmingham to speak at the College of Paramedics conference.
Following the event, he purchased a round of beers for eight Villa supporters at a Wetherspoons pub located at Birmingham New Street station. William, who enjoyed a pint of Bulmers cider, stayed for approximately 30 minutes before boarding a train back to London.
Steve Jones, a 56-year-old Villa supporter of 35 years, described the encounter as memorable and heartfelt. “We were contacted by the club saying Prince William wanted to meet a delegation of Villa fans as he was in Birmingham. He wanted to keep in the loop with everything going on at Villa,” Jones said.
Jones emphasized the Prince’s genuine passion for the club. “He was fantastic. I was quite amazed by how engaged he was with the club and his interest. He’s not a fair-weather fan. He really loves the club with a passion.”
During their conversation, the Prince discussed club affairs extensively. “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,” Jones added.
While the discussion mainly focused on Aston Villa, the topic of family also came up. “It was 95 percent chat about Villa, as that’s our shared interest, but there was a bit about his family,” Jones explained. “Young George is a Villa fan, but he didn’t want all three to be Villa fans.”
According to Jones, the Prince was optimistic about Aston Villa’s upcoming match against Everton, though cautiously aware of the challenges. “He said he was hopeful about beating Everton tonight and would be watching but was wary about new manager syndrome, or rather old manager syndrome.”
The royal engagement blended formal duties with personal passion, reflecting the Prince’s continued dedication to both his official role and his football loyalties.