Aston Villa Football Club joins the nation and the Commonwealth in mourning the passing of Her Majesty The Queen and would like to express its deepest condolences to the Royal Family.
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, celebrated her Platinum Jubilee earlier this year, marking 70 years since her accession to the throne and will leave a legacy that includes the landmark of becoming the longest-serving British monarch.
The football club have enjoyed a number of links with The Queen and her family, particularly her grandson, The Duke of Cambridge who is a keen supporter and is occasionally in attendance at first-team matches.
Her Majesty presented the FA Cup to Villa captain Johnny Dixon in May 1957, following the 2-1 success over Manchester United at Wembley and prior to her coronation in 1953, the then Princess Elizabeth attended a display of physical exercises and games at Villa Park organised by the City of Birmingham Education Department as part of the Festival of Britain in June 1951.
The Queen’s father, the Duke of York (who subsequently became King George VI) had been the first royal visitor to Villa Park in January 1924 when he watched a 1-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers.
Her son, The Prince of Wales, was at Villa Park in 2001 to officially open the new Trinity Road Stand following its redevelopment while most recently, in May 2021, His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge opened the High Performance Centre at the Club’s Bodymoor Heath Training Ground and also previously attended a Foundation event at Villa Park with his wife, The Duchess of Cambridge, in November 2017.