Prince William Spends One-on-One Time With Prince George at Soccer Match

"He's loving it."

Prince William, Prince of Wales and Prince George of Wales look on alongside Tyrone Mings of Aston Villa during the UEFA Europa Conference League 2023/24 Quarter-final first leg match between Aston Villa and Lille OSC at Villa Park on April 11, 2024 in Birmingham, England.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Prince William is spending some one-on-one time with his son, Prince William, as Kate Middleton continues her preventative cancer treatments.

On April 11, the father and son duo enjoyed the EFA Europa Conference League 2023/24 Quarter-final first leg fútbol (that's soccer, for the uninitiated) match between Aston Villa and Lille OSC at Villa Park.

Prince William is a well-known Aston Villa fan and, apparently, so is his 10-year-old son.

“Oh yes, he’s loving it,” William said after the match, according Neil Moxley, a sports journalist who shared a video of the exchange on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Prince William, Prince of Wales and Prince George of Wales look on alongside Tyrone Mings of Aston Villa during the UEFA Europa Conference League 2023/24 Quarter-final first leg match between Aston Villa and Lille OSC at Villa Park on April 11, 2024 in Birmingham, England.

Prince William, Prince of Wales and Prince George of Wales look on alongside Tyrone Mings of Aston Villa during the UEFA Europa Conference League 2023/24 Quarter-final first leg match between Aston Villa and Lille OSC at Villa Park on April 11, 2024 in Birmingham, England.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

In 2022, a body language expert told Marie Claire that Prince William is determined to be "more present" for his children than his father, King Charles, was for him.

"Prince William is definitely not averse to being seen in the media first and foremost as a father and husband rather than a future monarch," Darren Stanton told Marie Claire on behalf of Slingo.

"From the interactions between him and Kate and their children you can see that he wants to be a hands-on, 100 percent committed father, and be a lot more present than perhaps his own father Prince Charles was for him when he was younger," Stanton continued at the time.

"We can tell that William is a committed father because of the way he conducts himself when in the public arena. For example, he will kneel down to a child’s level to make eye contact while on engagements which is a classic way to build trust and connection."

Prince William, Prince of Wales and Prince George of Wales look on during the UEFA Europa Conference League 2023/24 Quarter-final first leg match.

Prince William, Prince of Wales and Prince George of Wales look on during the UEFA Europa Conference League 2023/24 Quarter-final first leg match.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Since Kate Middleton announced she has cancer and is undergoing preventative chemotherapy treatments, Prince William is reportedly determined to be "the anchor for his children."

“They are protecting their children," Ailsa Anderson—Queen Elizabeth's former press secretary—said an exclusive interview with People. "They are thinking about their welfare above everything."

The Princess of Wales' bombshell revelation came after months of intense scrutiny and conspiracy theories regarding her health and wellness in the wake of her planned abdominal surgery in January.

According to royal family insiders, Prince William felt "guilty and angry" about the controversy, in part because he made a promise to Middleton's parents that "he would protect and look after her."

Danielle Campoamor

Danielle Campoamor is an award-winning freelance writer covering mental health, reproductive justice, abortion access, maternal mental health, politics, and feminist issues. She has been published in The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, NBC, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, InStyle, Playboy, Teen Vogue, Glamour, The Daily Beast, and more.