Bruce gets a first from Cambridge!

ROYAL APPROVAL FOR THE BOSS FROM DUKE & DUCHESS

STEVE BRUCE’S reign has received Royal approval... from the Villa-supporting future King.

Villa hosted super-fan Prince William (above) and wife Kate (below) on Wednesday as the Royal couple visited Birmingham. Bruce and owner Tony Xia were among those to greet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Villa Park.

Bruce grinned: “He introduced me to Kate as the ‘top man,’ so there you go!

“I said: ‘You’re the top man, not me!’ He’s delighted we have turned it around a little bit and are moving it forward.

“Being a dad myself, you would like him as a son. He was impeccable. It’s not often you have the future King as a fan.

“There will be pictures of it worldwide and it is a reminder what a big club we are.”

Kate and Wills were there to watch an onpitch session aimed at developing the next generation of young coaches.

And Bruce has revealed the depth of the Prince’s Villa knowledge. He added: “He’s not just saying it, he really follows us. I’m sure he would like to put his Villa hat on and shout from the Holte End. That’s the impression I got. “He knew all about the injuries to Jonathan Kodjia and John Terry. He asked about Sam Johnstone and if we can make his loan permanent – if the prince wants it done then we will have to see!” Villa have won eight of their last 11 league games to move into promotion contention.

They are nine points adrift of leaders Wolves but Bruce, whose side entertain Ipswich today, says that talk his team could be fighting for just one automatic slot is premature.

“Are Wolves the best team in the Championship right now? At the moment you would have to say yes,” he said.

“But we’re only a third of the way through the season And it’s a long winter.

“And winter is the crucial part of the season.”