The Prince of Wales surprised pub-goers today with an impromptu visit to a Wetherspoons in Birmingham, where he shared drinks with fellow Aston Villa supporters.
Prince William, 42, enjoyed a Bulmers cider at the New Street station pub before buying a round of beers for eight football fans.
The future King arranged the casual meet-up through Aston Villa football club, spending half an hour discussing the team with supporters ahead of tonight’s match against Everton.
The royal visit came after William’s earlier appearance at a paramedics conference in the city, where he was announced as patron of the College of Paramedics.
Prince William buys Aston Villa fans a round of drinks after making joke ahead of Everton match
PA
“It’s great to be back in Birmingham, and for any fellow Villa fans with us today I look forward to celebrating our win over Everton later,” the prince told attendees.
Daniel Jones, 18, who met the prince, said: “He was a lovely guy, proper down to earth and he loves Villa and the passion we all share.”
Steve Jones, 56, a Villa fan for 35 years, described the prince’s genuine enthusiasm during their conversation.
“We were contacted by the club saying Prince William wanted to meet a delegation of Villa fans as he was in Birmingham as he wanted to keep in the loop with everything going on at Villa,” Jones said.
Prince William speaking at the College of Paramedics
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“He was fantastic. I was quite amazed about how engaged he was with the club, his interest. He’s not a fair-weather fan. He really loves the club with a passion,” he added.
The group discussed various aspects of the club’s activities, including transfers and their upcoming Champions League trip to Monaco.
The informal gathering lasted more than 30 minutes before the fans headed to the match, while William caught a train back to London.
Earlier in the day, William attended the College of Paramedics’ inaugural Emergency and Critical Care Conference at Birmingham Conference and Events Centre.
Prince William made a joke about Villa potentially beating Everton later
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The prince was unveiled as the organisation’s new patron during the event, where he delivered a speech praising paramedics’ vital work.
“Often referred to as the ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of frontline healthcare, paramedics and those in the emergency services are adaptable, multiskilled and crucially, know how to work under pressure,” William told delegates.
Drawing from his own experience as a former air ambulance pilot, the prince acknowledged the challenges faced by emergency responders.
“My time in these roles allowed me to better understand the day-to-day challenges that you all face and gave me the lifelong motivation to do all I can to support your community,” he said.
The Prince of Wales has been made the patron of the College of Paramedics,
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The prince also discussed hospital waiting times and current morale with paramedics from across the country.
During the pub chat, William shared insights about his family’s football allegiances.
“Young George is a Villa fan but he didn’t want all three to be Villa fans,” Steve Jones revealed, noting that their conversation was “95 per cent chat about Villa.”
The prince expressed both optimism and caution about the evening’s match against Everton.
“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,” Jones said.