Princes William and George attend a football match together amid Kate Middleton's battle with cancer

He watches: Kate Middleton is receiving an outpouring of support

Prince William and his son Prince George had a father's night out on Thursday, attending an Aston Villa soccer match in Birmingham, England.

The match marks William's first public appearance since his wife Kate, Princess of Wales, announced in late March that she had been diagnosed with cancer and had begun chemotherapy.

William and George, 10, the eldest of William and Kate's three children, sat next to each other at the match as they cheered on Aston Villa's 2-1 victory over French side Lille.

William was not reported to have made any public comments about Kate's health at the match, but he confirmed to a reporter that George was following in his footsteps as an Aston Villa fan.

When asked by Sunday Paper sports reporter Neil Moxley if George was “part of the pride,” William reportedly replied: “Oh yeah, he loves it,” according to an account of the exchange Moxley shared. On X.

Both William and Kate have remained out of the public eye since Kate's March 22 announcement, shared in a video message, that cancer was discovered in post-operative tests after she underwent abdominal surgery planned for mid-January.

The type of cancer was not revealed. Kate began a course of preventive chemotherapy in late February, according to Kensington Palace.

The palace said at the time of Kate's announcement that William would take a break from public engagements during his children's Easter break from school. George and his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, attend Lambrook School, a private school near the family home in Windsor, England.

MORE: Prince William and Kate's three children: What to know about George, Charlotte and Louis

Kate stepped back from public engagements around the time of her abdominal surgery in mid-January, and has continued this hiatus until today. The princess requested privacy for her family in her letter announcing her diagnosis, and the palace has only said that she will return to public duties as soon as she receives medical clearance to do so.

MORE: What's next for Kate Middleton, Prince William and their children after cancer diagnosis

William, Kate and their children did not join other royals, including King Charles III, who is also battling cancer, to attend Easter Mass at St George's Chapel on March 31.

The Welsh are thought to spend much of their time out of the limelight at Anmer Hall, their country estate in Norfolk, England, near the royal family's Sandringham estate.