Prince William has revealed that King Charles "hates football" — a confession that will raise eyebrows given the monarch has previously described himself as a Burnley supporter — during a surprise appearance on American footballers Travis and Jason Kelce's wildly popular podcast, New Heights.
The episode dropped on Friday, the very day Travis Kelce married Taylor Swift at Madison Square Garden in New York, lending the occasion an unmistakably regal flourish. William was introduced with full ceremonial fanfare by Jason Kelce, who boomed: "That's right, the President of the English Football Association, the Vice-Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of Cornwall, the Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland, Earl of Chester and the Prince of Wales — please welcome His Royal Highness, Prince William."
William, to his credit, took it in his stride. "That was quite an intro, guys, amazing!" he laughed. Jason replied: "We had to do it big for you."
A King Who Prefers Other Pursuits
The 28-minute conversation ranged across football culture, the World Cup and royal protocol, but it was William's candid admission about his father that landed hardest. Asked whether Charles had inspired his lifelong devotion to Aston Villa, William didn't hesitate.
"Absolutely not. My father hates football. My family haven't got a particularly long history with football — my love came from friends taking me to my first match."
That first match, William recalled with evident fondness, was Aston Villa versus Bolton in 2000. He told the Kelces that his passion for Villa only intensified when the club was relegated from the Premier League to the Championship. "I got into football more than ever when we got relegated," he said. "I suddenly really enjoyed the battle to get back."
William, who has served as patron of the English Football Association since 2010, also gently corrected Travis on terminology — insisting it was "football", not "soccer" — before sharing his cautious optimism about England's World Cup prospects under manager Thomas Tuchel. "If we're in the finals, we'll definitely be there," he said of a potential trip across the Atlantic, before adding with a grin: "Well, maybe. Maybe. See you both there for the final."
A Friendship With Deep Roots
Friday's episode was the latest chapter in an unlikely but warm friendship between the Prince of Wales and the Kelce family. The connection goes back to a meeting at Wembley, where Jason memorably didn't know what to do with the beer he was holding when he came face to face with royalty. "Yeah, it wasn't a joke. It was real. You want to be respectful and know the protocols," he admitted on the podcast.
Both brothers have spoken warmly about meeting Princess Charlotte in particular. Jason said on Friday that Charlotte "was still the highlight for me — she had fire to her, she was asking questions. That was the most electric part of it." William responded with a grin: "Now, congratulations. Having four daughters. I don't know how you do that."
People magazine reported separately that William and Princess Kate had met privately with Swift and Kelce ahead of the wedding — a detail that adds a quietly extraordinary dimension to an already remarkable week for the two families.
Form That's Becoming a Pattern
The New Heights appearance is part of a deliberate effort by William to engage with audiences through unconventional media. Last year, he discussed his ambitions to modernise the monarchy in a conversation with comedian Eugene Levy on Apple TV. The strategy reflects a broader instinct to make the institution feel less remote, particularly to younger and international audiences.
His connection with Taylor Swift is itself well-documented among celebrity watchers. The pair first met at a Centrepoint charity gala at Kensington Palace in 2013, where they performed an impromptu rendition of "Livin' on a Prayer" on stage with Jon Bon Jovi. In 2024, William brought George and Charlotte backstage at Swift's Eras Tour in London, and Swift marked the occasion with a birthday post for the prince, captioning a selfie: "Happy Bday M8! London shows are off to a splendid start."
"They were an absolute delight to me. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to bow to them or curtsy, or just be an American idiot and shake their hand." — Travis Kelce, on meeting the royal family
William had hinted at the wedding invitation story back in May, telling Heart Radio's breakfast show with a diplomatic laugh: "I'm hoping, and I'm sure there might be an invitation around, but we'll see." On Friday, at least in podcast form, he showed up — even if the nuptials themselves remained a rather more exclusive affair.
