The Princess of Wales was left 'mortified' after her father made an embarrassing remark to Tim Henman at Wimbledon, as she recalled in a 2017 BBC documentary. Catherine, a passionate tennis enthusiast and regular in the Royal Box, recounted the incident on 'Our Wimbledon', presented by Sue Barker.
The Embarrassing Encounter
The Princess, who has served as patron of the All England Club since 2016, explained how her father, Michael, attempted to remain composed when they encountered Henman. However, he committed a significant blunder by addressing the former British number one as 'Pete', having just watched Pete Sampras compete. She said: "My father is not going to appreciate this, but we were walking past Tim Henman and we had just seen [Pete] Sampras play. My dad said very coolly, 'Hi Pete.' I was mortified!"
Ongoing Wimbledon Attendance
Despite the awkward moment, the Princess has continued to attend Wimbledon regularly. She has missed only the 2013 tournament, when she was heavily pregnant, and the cancelled 2020 edition. This week, the 44-year-old attended the fourth day of Wimbledon, opting not to sit in the Royal Box. Instead, she was spotted on Court 18 beside Henman, watching Arthur Fery compete against Otto Virtanen. She wore a blue blazer with coordinating trousers, forgoing the usual deep green and royal purple brooch that represents the tournament's official colours and her patron role.
Interaction with Fans
Before the match, Catherine acknowledged supporters who had queued for hours, receiving applause and cheers as she entered the grounds and passed Henman Hill. The Princess recently completed the Three Peaks Challenge, adding to her active public engagements.
