Prince William set to play key role in FA Cup final

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Prince William will present the FA Cup trophy to the winning team this weekend – but will be left rueing what could have been.

Crystal Palace secured their place in the final against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium after a decisive 3-1 victory over Aston Villa, the club Prince William supports.

The Prince of Wales, 42, was not at Wembley for the semi-final clash after he attended the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City.

A lifelong supporter of Aston Villa, the Prince of Wales has been a regular presence at their recent Champions League matches, often seen cheering them on.

Memorable moments include a photograph of the Prince and his son, Prince George, enthusiastically celebrating during a match in April, though their hopes for a Champions League semi-final spot were ultimately dashed by Paris Saint-Germain.

Prince William and his son handed the trophy to team captain Bruno Fernandes after the side’s 2-1 victory over rivals Manchester City in last year’s final.

The Prince of Wales became the patron of the FA last summer after being its president for 18 years. The Football Association’s patron was previously the late Queen Elizabeth II.

William fell in love with Villa after being taken to matches by family friends and has said he now posts anonymously on fan forums.

During an interview with the Sun newspaper in March, he said: “With the camaraderie among the fans and the chanting and the singing, I just felt like I belonged there.”

He added: “I like going on the forums, I can be on there for ages. I listen to what other fans have to say and give them my opinions. I get quite into it, definitely. It’s important to have that debate.”