Before departing he posted a rallying message online — "Come on Villa! Good luck in tonight’s Europa League final. UTV!" — signing off simply with "W." Though he often brings Prince George to matches, George (12), Princess Charlotte (11) and Prince Louis (8) remained at home and were allowed to stay up to watch the game on TV.
William watched Villa’s run closely, attending the May 7 semifinal where he was filmed singing Neil Diamond’s "Sweet Caroline" with fans. He later joked about having "bags under the eyes" after the emotional night, has admitted to household superstitions to shift luck, and even stopped in Birmingham to chat with traveling supporters about transfers and future European trips.