Kate Middleton’s heartfelt seven-word statement at Wimbledon receives standing ovation
The Princess of Wales, 42, made a last-minute public appearance at the tennis champions today alongside her daughter, Princess Charlotte, and her sister, Pippa Middleton
Princess Kate dazzled the crowd with a surprise appearance at Wimbledon’s Centre Court, accompanied by her daughter, Princess Charlotte, and sister Pippa Middleton.
The 42-year-old royal, donning a chic purple dress, was greeted with a heartfelt standing ovation as she stepped onto the court on Sunday. Kate, looking radiant in a stylish purple ensemble, was visibly moved by the warm reception and applause from the audience as she entered Centre Court.
Kensington Palace had only just revealed that Princess Kate would be gracing the Men’s Final with her presence to present the trophy, making this her second public outing since her cancer diagnosis was shared in March. She was previously seen at Trooping the Colour last month, celebrating the King’s birthday with Prince William and their children.
Kate told Charlotte where to sit and praised the tennis championships to Debbie Jevans on her left ( Image: Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)
A regular at Wimbledon, Kate’s arrival sparked excitement among the spectators, who clapped enthusiastically as she guided a beaming nine-year-old Charlotte to her seat, with Pippa close by. The Mirror’s lip-reading expert, Nicola Hickling, caught a sweet exchange between the royals.
Nicola Hickling, adept at lip-reading, deciphered Kate’s words to Charlotte and Pippa: “Charlotte, I want you to sit here and Pippa, you’re next to Charlotte. Just here.”
Following this, Kate turned to Debbie Jevans, a former tennis star seated to her left in a cream outfit, and expressed her delight: “It’s so good, and we’re seated together.”
The Princess of Wales, a known tennis enthusiast, was seen waving to her adoring fans as she took her seat at the Wimbledon finals. The crowd around her continued to watch the tournament, which was coming to its annual conclusion.
Since 2016, Kate has been a patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), the organization responsible for running The Championships, whose official colors are purple and green.
The Princess made a last-minute appearance at Wimbledon with her daughter ( Image: PA)
Kate appeared in joyful spirits as she donned purple for the surprise occasion ( Image: Getty Images)
This isn’t the first time that Kate has graced the Royal Box at Wimbledon. As an avid tennis fan, she’s a regular attendee of the championships. The Royal Box, which dates back to 1922, is used to entertain friends and guests of the All England Club. To sit in one of the iconic green Lloyd Loom wicker chairs, you must receive a personal invitation from the Chairman of the All England Club.
In case the Princess was unable to attend due to her ongoing cancer treatment, plans were made for the Duchess of Gloucester, who has been an Honorary President of the Lawn Tennis Association for 25 years, to step in. However, it was later confirmed that the Princess would be in attendance.
In her proud role, she will present the prize to either Novak Djokovic or Carlos Alcaraz.
In her latest update, the Princess shared that she is “making good progress” but also acknowledged that “there are good days and bad days”. She expressed hope that she could “join a few public engagements over the summer”, while also noting, “I am not out of the woods yet”.
Kate had stepped down from public duties in January after announcing that she was undergoing abdominal surgery.
