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Prince William and George spotted at Aston Villa in first outing since Kate’s cancer announcement

Prince William seen smiling and applauding in Villa Park stands with eldest son on Thursday evening

Rosie Shead
Friday 12 April 2024 07:22 BST
Prince George holds Novak Djokovic's Wimbledon trophy

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The Prince of Wales and Prince George attended an Aston Villa match together in their first public outing since the Princess of Wales’s cancer announcement.

Prince William was seen smiling and applauding in the Villa Park stands in Birmingham with his eldest son on Thursday evening.

George sported an Aston Villa scarf as the pair celebrated the club’s 2-1 win against Lille in the first leg of the Europa Conference League quarter-final.

William was seen turning to his son to say something as he applauded Ollie Watkins’s opening goal for the club.

In March, the Princess of Wales, 42, revealed she is undergoing treatment for cancer in an emotional video message.

The Princess of Wales with Prince George and Princess Charlotte
The Princess of Wales with Prince George and Princess Charlotte (PA Archive)

She, the Prince of Wales and their three children, all missed the Easter Sunday service at St George’s Chapel at Windsor castle, following the announcement, despite attending last year.

The family spent the Easter holiday together as they adjusted to Kate’s diagnosis, which was discovered in post-operative tests after major abdominal surgery.

In the message revealing the diagnosis, she said: “This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family. As you can imagine, this has taken time.

“It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment.

“But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK.”

Britain's Prince William, second right, Kate, Princess of Wales, right, Prince Harry, left, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, second left, leave after they paid their respects to Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall for the Lying-in State, in London, Wednesday, 14 Sept 2022
Britain's Prince William, second right, Kate, Princess of Wales, right, Prince Harry, left, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, second left, leave after they paid their respects to Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall for the Lying-in State, in London, Wednesday, 14 Sept 2022 (AP)

Since revealing the diagnosis, the Prince and Princess of Wales are said to be “enormously touched” and “extremely moved” by the public’s warmth and support.

The King, who has been carrying out low-key official duties behind palace walls, made his most significant public appearance at the Easter Sunday service since his own cancer diagnosis was announced at the start of February.

He was described by the palace as being “so proud” of the princess for her courage in speaking out and is said to be in “the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law”.

William has long been a football fan and posted a message congratulating the Lionesses’ Rachel Daly on her retirement on the Prince and Princess of Wales social media accounts earlier this week.

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