Prince William 'dying' for Sunderland's next opponents Leicester City to win the league

William, presented with a special cap during a Wembley Stadium lunch on Wednesday to mark his 10 years as president of the Football Association, threw his support behind Leicester's bid to secure the title.

At a reception held before guests sat down to eat, the Duke commented on the Foxes' impressive run of form which has taken them to the top of the table and told FA board members: "I'm dying for Leicester to win."

William's own team Aston Villa are on the brink of relegation from the top flight and he hinted that his thoughts were on his club playing in a lower division next season.

FA board member Ian Lenagan, a director of Oxford United, said later of William's comments about Leicester: "He felt it would be good for football - it would be great for the game."

He added: "He's rather more worried about the prospect of Championship football from his own point of view."

In a speech to mark William's milestone, FA chairman Greg Dyke joked how the Duke, who still plays football with pals, brought a friend to his regular game - David Beckham.

Dyke told the guests, who included England manager Roy Hodgson: "He cares about our development, about what we're doing to get a common thread between youth sides and the senior set-up, and how we're building our support staff.

"He doesn't just listen, he asks a lot of questions and always has a clear point of view. He brings his own experiences to bear, whether that's from his range of other professional roles, or from just being a football-loving dad of two, who still gamely plays the game himself.

"Rumour has it that he occasionally uses his connections to help his team. One week he turned up to his regular six-a-side match, so we're told, and brought a friend to join his side - the friend was David Beckham."