Prince William, a passionate Aston Villa supporter and President of the Football Association, welcomed England’s new head coach, Thomas Tuchel, to Windsor Castle on Tuesday. The private discussion, lasting over an hour, provided Tuchel with an opportunity to outline his perspective on the national team since stepping into the role earlier this year.

Sources from the royal household suggest the conversation may have also included Aston Villa’s recent European campaign, which has been gaining international attention. Mark Bullingham, the CEO of the Football Association, was also in attendance for the meeting.

Since his appointment in January, Tuchel has made appearances at multiple Premier League matches. His first official game leading the England squad is scheduled against Albania next month.He also shared his ambitions for the squad moving forward.

Kensington Palace acknowledged the meeting on social media, expressing enthusiasm about the discussion. “Great to meet new England men’s manager Thomas Tuchel for the first time today and hear about plans for the team,” the message read.

This was not Tuchel’s first encounter with Prince William. The two had previously spoken in January during Aston Villa’s match against Celtic. At 42, the Prince has been a dedicated supporter of Aston Villa, citing his childhood in Gloucestershire and a desire to follow a club outside the mainstream powerhouses like Manchester United or Chelsea.