Aston Villa supporter Prince William jokes with Manchester United supporter: ‘We’re not perfect’

This is the heartwarming moment Aston Villa fan Prince William joked with a young Manchester United supporter ‘we can’t all be perfect’ as he greeted royal well-wishers.

The new Prince of Wales, 40, was thanking mourners queuing 14 hours to see the Queen’s coffin lying-in-state at the Palace of Westminster on a surprise walkabout alongside his father King Charles III on Saturday.

And when one young fan asked the future King ‘what football team do you support?’ William quickly quipped back ‘I’m a villa fan. Aston Villa’.

When one young fan asked the future King ‘what football team do you support?’ William quickly quipped back ‘I’m a villa fan. Aston Villa’

His response was met with disappointed sighs from the crowd, with William then asking ‘Are you Man U fans?’

When they responded yes the royal then joked: ‘Well, we can’t all be perfect’.

William and Charles greeted hundreds of people along the South Bank near Lambeth Bridge in London yesterday ahead of the Queen’s state funeral on Monday, to cheers of ‘hip hip hooray’ and ‘God Save the King’ as they passed by.

Many took photographs and pressed against the metal barriers, eager to exchange a word with the King and the heir to the throne as they shook hands with those closest

William later thanked royal fans for queueing for 14 hours to pay their respects to his grandmother, tweeting: ‘It mean an awful lot that you’re all here’.

The Prince of Wales has been a life long Aston Villa fan and yesterday sent a message of support as he mourns the death of the Queen, boss Steven Gerrard revealed. He is pictured at a game in 2017

William yesterday joined his cousins and brother at  a vigil for Her Majesty at the Palace of Westminster 

William, Prince of Wales greets people queueing to see the Queen lying-in-state earlier this afternoon alongside his father, King Charles

The Prince of Wales thanked mourners queuing 14 hours to see the Queen’s coffin lying-in-state at the Palace of Westminster

William, Prince of Wales greets people queueing to pay their respects to the Queen – most of which were waiting for around 14 hours to see the lying-in-state ceremony

One lady offered Charles condolences as he shook her hand, and another shouted: ‘I can’t believe this’ – while a third presented the two royals with a Paddington Bear toy, in reference to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee sketch with the beloved children’s character.

As the prince shook the hands of mourners, he said: ‘It means an awful lot you’re here. She [the Queen] would never believe this. You’ll make some friends for life [those who have met in crowd’. Revealing that his wife Kate Middleton and children George, Charlotte and Louis were ‘ok’ and ‘all united in grief’, William also said that he became emotional seeing his grandmother’s corgis, adding: ‘They are being looked after – they have gone to a very good home’.

Several people cried after meeting the Prince of Wales, and one woman told him: ‘You’ll be a brilliant king one day’.

The Prince of Wales has been a life long  Aston Villa fan and yesterday sent a message of support as he mourns the death of the Queen, boss Steven Gerrard revealed.

William, Prince of Wales meeting royal fans along the banks of the River Thames

 ‘He messaged in the week, to the club, and that shows everything about what he thinks of this club. For us to reward that with a result and clean sheet, I’m sure he will be proud,’ Gerrard said.

‘It was along the lines of “would love to be there”. He is consistently in touch. He is very supportive of the boys individually, he loves them. It’s really impressive, his knowledge, and how much he is in to it.

‘It certainly took me back. He is very much involved in Villa. For him to message in the situation he is in is really impressive.

William previously spoke out about why he is a fan of the club, and told the BBC in a 2015 interview: ‘A long time ago at school I got into football big time.

King Charles greets people queueing to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth following her death

‘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 roller-coaster moments.

‘Aston Villa’s always had a great history. I have got friends of mine who support Aston Villa and one of the first FA Cup games I went to was Bolton v Aston Villa back in 2000. Sadly, Villa went on to lose to Chelsea.

‘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.’