Prince William cheers on Aston Villa at semi-final

Prince William was pictured in the stands at Villa Park on Thursday

The Prince of Wales was seen cheering on Aston Villa in their European semi-final on the evening of his daughter Princess Charlotte’s ninth birthday.

Prince William was among the spectators at Villa Park on Thursday and watched on as the home team lost 4-2 in the first leg of the Europa Conference League tie against Olympiacos.

The self-confessed Villa fan was seen reacting and gesturing throughout the first half in a private seating area he was sharing with friends.

One image showed him celebrating a Villa goal that was later disallowed for a foul in the build-up.

His attendance at the fixture came on the same day as Princess Charlotte celebrated her ninth birthday.

The occasion was marked with the release of an image of the young royal taken by the Princess of Wales.