Prince William has shaken the hands of FA Cup finalists at a packed Wembley Stadium ahead of a fierce clash between home rivals Man City and Man Utd.
The Prince of Wales, who is the Football Association’s president, walked onto the pitch to cheers from the crowd after the two teams lined up before the game.
Shaking the hands of each player, he could be seen wishing each team luck as they players grinned in recognition of the special moment.
United are leading by one goal from City, after Alejandro Garnacho was gifted a tap in after a howler by Josko Gvardiol.
The 41-year-old’s attendance at the showpiece game in North West London in front of 90,000 fans was confirmed by palace officials at 9.30am this morning.
It comes after the Royal Family revealed on Wednesday that it had postponed engagements ‘which may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign’ after Rishi Sunak called a surprise summer General Election for July 4.
William’s previous FA Cup appearances have not all been so smooth – in 2022 he was booed by thousands of fans ahead of the match between Liverpool and Chelsea.
Fans gesticulated and made obscene hand gestures while the solemn Prince stood singing God Save the Queen.
Manchester City star Phil Foden beamed alongside Erling Haaland – as he shook hands with the delighted Prince
William ended the line-up by chatting with Marcus Rashford – who he awarded with an MBE in 2021 in recognition of his campaign for free school meals
Prince William went diligently along the line as he wished each player luck before the game
William chatted with Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes before the game
Fernandes’ teammates stood tall and watched on as their captain met the Prince
Manchester United manager Erik Ten Haag had an animated chat with William, after a difficult year at the club
Defender Nathan Ake could barely contain himself as he grinned widely and leaned in to shake the Prince’s hand
The Prince of Wales looked thrilled as he walked onto the pitch to the cheers of the crowd
William started as he chatted with England star and Manchester City captain Kyle Walker
John Stones looked delighted as he shook hands and chatted briefly with the Prince before the game
The officials beamed as William thanked them ahead of the game’s start
The outburst by thousands of fans shocked the nation and was denounced across the political spectrum – with Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle saying: ‘I utterly condemn any fans who booed Prince William at Wembley today.
The jeers started during a rendition of the Christian hymn Abide With Me by the 60-strong B Positive Choir, whose members have sickle cell disease or who have close friends or family suffering from it.
It erupted again as Prince William was introduced to the crowd and began shaking the hands of the players. The booing and jeers reached their peak during the National Anthem.
Connor O’Neill, football writer for the Liverpool Echo, said Liverpool fans ‘are well known’ for booing God Save The Queen at Wembley and claimed that the reasons date from the city’s antipathy towards Margaret Thatcher’s Tory government in the 1980s.
Former BBC Royal Correspondent Michael Cole described the booing as ‘disgraceful and deplorable’ and called for the Football Association to take action.
He also criticised BBC football commentators for failing to even mention the Liverpool fans’ ‘repulsive behaviour’.
Last year – when the competition again came down to Man Utd and Man City – William shared a warm smile and a brief chat with Marcus Rashford before attention tuned to the pitch. He awarded the footballer with an MBE in 2021 in recognition of his campaign for free school meals.
The Prince’s beloved Villa exited the FA Cup three months ago on February 7 after a 3-1 home defeat to Chelsea in a fourth round replay.
But last week William hailed Villa for qualifying to play Champions League football next season, praising their ‘historic season’ and ‘amazing achievement’.
Posting on his Kensington Royal X account, William wrote: ‘We are Champions League! A historic season and an amazing achievement. Thanks to Unai, the whole squad and everyone at @AVFCOfficial. Can’t wait for next season. #UTV! W.’
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, walks past the trophy during the English FA Cup final football match between Chelsea and Liverpool in 2022
Prince William walks past the FA Cup trophy during a previous final at Wembley in May 2017
Prince William cheers and applauds during the Europa Conference League semi-final first leg between Aston Villa and Olympiakos at Villa Park on May 2, 2024. Villa lost the match 4-2
The heir to the British throne has long been a passionate supporter of Villa – and has even brought his son Prince George along to games at Villa Park (pictured in March 2023)
UTV stands for ‘Up The Villa’, while the ‘W’ is for ‘William’ and denotes that it was a personal message written by the Prince, who shares the account with Kate.
The Prince is a lifelong fan of Villa and has watched several matches this season, sometimes also taking along George.
On May 2, William was spotted cheering on Villa against Olympiakos in the Europa Conference League semi-final first leg.
He was also seen talking to friends in a private seating area before the game before reacting and gesturing throughout the first half of the match.
One picture showed him enthusiastically celebrating a Villa goal which was later disallowed for a foul in the build-up.
The previous month on April 11, William and George attended Villa’s 2-1 win against Lille in the first leg of the Europa Conference League quarter-final.
This was their first public outing since Kate’s cancer announcement in March.
William has supported Villa since he was at school, and in 2006 became president of the FA. He also regularly attends England matches and FA Cup finals.
Prince William and Prince George look on alongside Aston Villa player Tyrone Mings (right) during the Europa Conference League quarter-final against Lille at Villa Park on April 11, 2024
Famous fan Prince William celebrated Aston Villa’s achievement on social media last night
Prince William and former Aston Villa player John Carew cheer at Villa Park on April 10, 2018
Prince William inspects the pitch prior to the Vitality Women’s FA Cup Final between Chelsea FC and Manchester United in 2023
Speaking about his love of Villa to the BBC’s Gary Lineker in May 2015, William said: ‘A long time ago at school I got into football big time. I was looking around for clubs.
‘All my friends at school were either Man United fans or Chelsea fans and I didn’t want to follow the run of the mill teams.
‘I wanted to have a team that was more mid-table that could give me more emotional rollercoaster moments. Aston Villa’s always had a great history.’
The Prince said he has friends who support Villa and one of his first FA Cup games was against Bolton Wanderers in 2000, which Villa won but went on to lose to Chelsea in the final.
He added: ‘It was fantastic, I sat with all the fans with my red beanie on, and I was sat with all the Brummie fans and had a great time.
‘It was the atmosphere, the camaraderie and I really felt that there was something I could connect with.’
Speaking in February 2020, William also said: ‘People like Paul Merson were playing and I thought if people like him can play as well as he does, knowing the struggles he was under at the time… this is a club I can support.
‘I was also born in ’82, the year we won the (European) Cup, so I feel the history and pedigree around Villa has always been quite close to me.’
Erik ten Hag has hit out at critics who do not have a realistic view of Man United’s expectations
United endured a dismal season, finishing in their lowest-ever Premier League position
INEOS chief and Red Devils part owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe (right) is believed to have already made the decision to sack Ten Hag regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s FA Cup final at Wembley
In addition, the Prince often tweets about football and last month also posted a message congratulating the Lionesses’ Rachel Daly on her retirement.
Even before the match kicked off this afternoon the FA Cup final was wracked with controversy – as Erik ten Hag hit out at Manchester United fans for having ‘no sense of reality’ amid their 11-year title drought in an incendiary interview.
The embattled manager is believed to be heading for the exit at Old Trafford regardless of whether his side triumphs at Wembley on Saturday against their crosstown rivals after two season in charge at the Manchester club.
Ten Hag has been defiant in his stance that he remains in the plans of Man United’s new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team since the petrochemicals billionaire took over the running of football operations in February.
But under the Dutchman, the club has faltered to its worst-ever Premier League finish in eighth, and European football next term is dependent on today’s result.
Speaking to Dutch outlet VI, Ten Hag stressed that the club’s aspirations were too high for the reality of its current straits.
‘Manchester United won the league for the last time in 2013, 11 years ago,’ Ten Hag told journalist Freek Jansen. ‘But still they expect us to win every game while competing at the top.
‘This club is not ready for that.
The M1 pictured at a standstill just hours before Man City and Man United play each other at Wembley in the FA Cup final
One fan posted this picture on social media showing football fans standing outside their car on the M1 as they try to work out what is going on
‘We were supposed to start building something and we made the first steps last year, but then you find out how big this club is and that nobody is ever satisfied.
‘Within the club people were satisfied, but outside the club there was noise by saying I won only the Carabao Cup, lost the FA Cup Final and came third.’
And as fans make their way to Wembley to watch Manchester City take on Manchester United, with just hours before kick off many found themselves stuck in huge queues as families flocked to enjoy the hot weather.
One fan posted a picture on X of people standing outside their cars on the M1, writing the caption: ‘Little warning to those heading down to Wembley on the M1. Been stuck at Leicester for 30 minutes. Looks like a major incident.
‘Nothing coming northbound, either. Huge queues. City and United fans out of their cars trying to figure out what’s going on.’
