Avid football fan Prince George has taken part in the traditional royal festive football match for the first time, playing alongside his father William.

The father and son pair were reportedly cheered on from the sidelines by Kate, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte.

Lining out on the same side, the match also included Sandringham Estate workers and nearby villagers.

A well-known Aston Villa fan, William has been spotted with George attending numerous games at Villa Park in recent times, along with trips to Wembely and abroad to cheer on England.

William and George were last summer snapped attending the Three Lion's European Championship exploits, including their final heartbreak at the hands of Spain in Berlin. 

In one picture, the pair could be seen celebrating wildly as Cole Palmer equalised late on to send the final to extra-time.

George's involvement in this year's festive kickabout signifies a substitution of sorts on the royal team. 

Previous years have seen William joined by brother Harry, but it is believed this has now not happened since 2016, with George now stepping up in his absence.

Spectators have shared that William and George's side turned out in a blue kit, with George reportedly sporting the number 18 on his jersey.

They also revealed that William almost found the back of the net, with George earning praise for his energetic performance. 

An insider attending the game told the Sun: 'It just looked like healthy father-and-son bonding time. There were other children playing and it was all good fun and light-hearted.

'It is nice that they have returned to take part in the traditional game as they haven’t done so for years'. 

Back in 2020, William appeared on former England international Peter Crouch's podcast, where he discussed his and George's football fandom.

William, who was once President of the FA and is now a patron, told the former Liverpool and Tottenham striker that George was free to support whatever team he liked despite his strong-rooted Villa ties.

'I’m trying not to persuade him to be a Villa fan, I’m letting him choose his own way. It’s about finding what fits for him'.

Although William did also jokingly share that he held 'concerns' over the prospect of George picking Chelsea as his team.