To judge by his gloomy expression, Prince William did not have fun.
With a place in the quarterfinals of the Champions League at stake, the heir of the beloved Aston Villa del throne had been working for almost an hour against the witches of the club.
William cut a thoughtful figure in the elegant seats in Villa Park, apparently attracting little comfort of a two-go cushion from the first leg, which Villa won 3-1, or the numerical advantage conferred by an early red card for the Belgian side.
Gamely wearing a club scarf, the prince's attempt to enjoy a children's night with friends of childhood, Edward Van Cutsem and Thomas Van Straubenzee, godfather of her daughter, Princess Charlotte, had not received help for a couple of decent early opportunities for witches.
And when Villa could not turn a free kick into the first half, the agony was recorded in his features.
William is no stranger to the vibrant samples of emotion when it comes to supporting the club that has followed since his school days.
The victory of the convincing champions of Aston Villa over the Bruges Club in the middle of the week received the Royal Seal of approval of the avid fan of Villa Prince William
William, who was seen with a club scarf, seemed sad while his team worked at the beginning of the game, but was more and more encouraged when Villa closed a convincing victory
Aston Villa reserved his place in the quarterfinals of the Champions League and will face PSG
When Villa returned to the Premier League in May 2019, finishing a three -year stay in the championship, the prince ejido celebrated wildly, hugging former striker John Carew in the stands.
Similar scenes developed behind the closed doors of the Kensington Palace the following year, when Villa avoided the descent from the skin of his teeth with a 1-1 draw in West Ham on the last day of the season.
“The nerves were the worst that I've met them,” William revealed later. 'My children looked at me with horror as I jumped from the couch, shouting my head.
“It is very good news that, as president of the FA, I can hide for some of these moments, which does not see me visibly, because it was one of the most stressful moments of my life, as I imagine that every fan of the villas felt that day.”
However, for many, William's refusal to hide family emotions for football fans worldwide is refreshing.
It is a quality that was evident again on Wednesday night, since Villa scored the first of three goals that consolidated a added 6-1 victory over witches, ensuring a meeting with Paris St Germain in the quarterfinals next month.
Hopefully the drinks were at home for William and his friends, because Van Cutsem's drink took the worst part of the prince's jubilation when Villa took to another giant step in a competition they won in 1982, coinciding, the year that William was born, when he still knew simply as the European Cup.
But how exactly the prince born in London came to support a West Midlands club? The answer speaks of a man who, although he can be the future king, is not reluctant to go against the grain.
Prince William opened about the story behind his passion for Aston Villa in a 2015 interview with Gary Lineker for the BBC
William has also discussed the origins of his interest in Aston Villa in the Peter Crouch podcast
William says that his role as president of the Football Association, a function that has fulfilled since 2006, means that he sometimes feels obliged to maintain a lid on his feelings about Villa
“A long time ago at school, I got into football, big,” said William, who visited Villa Park in November 2013, he once explained.
'I was looking for a club to support, and all my friends at school were Manchester United fans or Chelsea fans.
'I didn't want to follow Run-In The-Fill teams, I wanted to have a team that was more in the middle of the table, which could give me the most emotional moments of the Russian mountain.
'To be honest, now, looking back, it was a bad idea: it could have happened an easier time!
'Aston Villa has always had a great story. I have friends who support Aston Villa and one of the first FA Cup games to which I went was Bolton Versus Aston Villa, it was a semifinal.
'It was fantastic, I sat with all fans with my red hat on, and I sat with all Brummie fans and had a great time.
“It was the atmosphere, the camaraderie, and I really felt that there was something I could connect.”
Interestingly, William's interest in the club intensified after a recession in her fortunes.
Prince William admitted his interest in Aston Villa intensified after his descent in 2016
Prince William cut a figure characteristically relaxed while talking to former Liverpool striker, Tottenham and Stoke City Peter Crouch
William joked in a 2015 interview with Gary Lineker, on the right, who would have to consult with his wife Catherine to get permission for his son, Prince George, to attend the games in Villa Park
Obviously, the conversation was fine, since Prince George, 11, has been seen during the games in Villa Park several times.
“I was in the eye to Villa from then on, but I did not get too initially involved,” he said The sun. 'But Villa was relegated to the championship in 2016 made me even more interested, strangely.
'A few years before, we had finished sixth under Martin O'Neill and now we weren't even in the Premier League. I am not sure why I became much more interested then, but it could be due to the emergence of the smartphone.
'He had grown up watching Ceefax on television or in the posterior pages of the newspapers, and if you did not have that your hands were a bit out of place.
'But now you can get so many data and follow how your team is doing all the time and there is much more discussion and debate. This is how my passion really increased.
Despite its obvious sense of connection with Villa, becoming the club's highest profile supporter has not been without its challenges.
Earlier this year, when he organized a surprise meeting with a group of eight Villas supporters in a Wetherspoon pub at Birmingham New Street station, William revealed that he is a regular and anonymous taxpayer to online discussion sites.
“He said that he remains aware of the gossip of Villa because he is in all the fans forums,” Steve Jones, one of the eight followers to meet the prince, ” He told Atlético.
“It is under different names and publishes there because this is how it has the feeling of what is happening and what is the opinion.”
However, a person who William cannot hide his passion for Villa is his wife Catherine, the princess of Wales.
William visited the team earlier this week, watching the team in training from the beard and talking to the Morgan Rogers players, up to the left, and Matty Cash
William organized a surprise meeting with a group of eight Villas supporters in a Wetherspoon pub at Birmingham New Street station earlier this year
In 2015, when Gary Lineker mentioned the perspective that William took his son Prince George for a year to the games, William made it clear that he would only happen with Catherine's saying.
“I don't know, I have to spend that part of the lady, see how I get yours,” he said. “At this time, with only 22 months, it's a bit early.”
Prince George, who is now 11 years old, has been seen in Villa Park with his father several times since then, fulfilling William's dream that one day he could share his passion for the club with one of his children.
“He can support whoever wants, but he supports Villa, it would be fantastic,” the Prince to Lineker told “because I would love to go to the strange game with him in the future.”
Like Mike Tindall, the former Rugby International of England who is married to the niece Zara of King Charles, confirmed last year, that the mission has been achieved.
“George loves his football,” said Tindall. 'He is also passionate about Aston Villa. Wherever it is, you will sit and see that game.
Like father like son.