In a striking break from traditional royal press engagements, Britain’s Prince of Wales Prince William made a surprise guest appearance on *New Heights*, the popular YouTube sports podcast hosted by NFL stars Travis and Jason Kelce. The episode dropped on the exact same day Travis tied the knot with global pop icon Taylor Swift, but the conversation centered almost entirely on association football — including a lighthearted, now-viral terminology correction from the prince to the American hosts.
During the 28-minute casual chat, the conversation turned to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States will co-host alongside Mexico and Canada. When Travis Kelce referenced the sport as “soccer”, William interjected with a playful correction, clarifying that it is properly called “football” in most of the world. The heir to the British throne also opened up about his personal connection to the sport, revealing that his father, King Charles III, “hates football” — a fun contrast to the King’s past public comments identifying himself as a supporter of lower-league side Burnley FC.
When pressed on whether he would cross the Atlantic for the World Cup if England reaches the tournament final, William gave a definitive answer: “Definitely. If we’re in the finals.” He added that he hoped to meet both Kelce brothers at the match if the scenario comes to pass. This casual appearance is not the first time William has turned to non-traditional media to connect with broader audiences; last year, he spoke with comedian Eugene Levy on Apple TV about his plans to modernize the British monarchy, continuing a pattern of accessible, informal royal engagement.
The conversation also wandered into off-football topics, including the 250th anniversary of the United States. When asked if he was surprised the U.S. had reached the 250-year milestone, William teased back, “There were times… There were times. But I’d like to think the UK and the US would be together for those 250 years. Oh, yeah, it’s a good brotherhood.” The hosts also recalled a past meeting with William at an NFL game hosted at London’s Wembley Stadium, where Jason Kelce admitted he had no idea what to do with his beer when greeting the royal party, out of uncertainty over official protocol. Jason added that meeting Princess Charlotte was the highlight of the encounter, with the two joking about the challenges of raising four daughters.
Recorded shortly after England’s opening 2026 European qualifying match against Croatia, the conversation touched on what William considers a successful World Cup for the English national team. Unsurprisingly, he said, “I think winning it.” He also praised manager Thomas Tuchel’s attacking, fluid tactical approach, saying, “Thomas, I think, prefers to go a bit more out there — and if we lose, we lose playing the way we want to play. And if you’re going to score four goals, we’ll score five. And I think that’s a really good attitude.”
William, a lifelong diehard Aston Villa supporter, opened up about the emotional ups and downs that come with being a football fan. He shared that his devotion to the club actually grew deeper when Villa was relegated from the English Premier League to the Championship over a decade ago. “So I think weirdly, this sounds very odd, but I got into football more than ever when we got relegated,” he explained. “When Aston Villa went from Premiership to Championship, I suddenly really enjoyed the battle to get back in the Premiership.” He admitted that Villa’s results directly shape his mood: a win makes his entire weekend, while a loss leaves him so dejected he avoids social contact on Monday mornings. He recalled first falling in love with Villa 26 years prior, after watching a match against Bolton Wanderers, and reaffirmed that his passion for the club is entirely his own, repeating that his father wants nothing to do with the sport.
As president of the Football Association, the governing body of English football, William offered a blunt piece of advice for the organization: “Just don’t mess up.” When asked to name the all-time greats of English football for a “Mount Rushmore” of the sport, William named Sir David Beckham, Gary Lineker, Harry Kane, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, and Sir Bobby Charlton. He specifically highlighted Kane, predicting he would go down as one of the greatest strikers in English history — a comment that looks prescient, as Kane has since broken the record for most goals scored for the English men’s national team. The podcast also referenced past casual encounters between the royals, Taylor Swift, and Prince William’s children Prince George and Princess Charlotte, when Swift posed for a viral selfie with the group two years prior.