The Princess of Wales made a bold break with a personal Wimbledon tradition as she returned to SW19 for the first time this year. Princess Catherine was all smiles on day four of the Championships as she arrived wearing a smart blue linen suit, with her hair swept back into a high ponytail, but her outfit did not include the brooch she usually puts on when attending the sporting event.
Greeting fans and recalling queue memories
Before entering the venue, she popped outside to greet tennis fans who had queued since the early hours in the hope of securing one of the coveted ground passes. Kate, who completed the gruelling Three Peaks Challenge last weekend to raise money for the Royal Marsden Hospital, will no doubt have sympathised with those patiently waiting for a ticket.
In 2023, the princess revealed to British number one Emma Raducanu that she used to do exactly the same, waking up at “the crack of dawn” to queue with her father, Michael, and sister, Pippa. “I used to do that. It meant so much to be able to get the ground passes and be part of the championships,” she said.
Match viewing and missing brooch
After chatting to volunteers handing out tickets, Kate quietly slipped away to Court 18, where she watched Britain’s Arthur Fery take on Finland’s Otto Virtanen alongside former British number one Tim Henman and All England Club chair Deborah Jevans.
Those watching the princess courtside may have noticed a subtle change to her traditional Wimbledon look. Normally, Kate sports a deep green and royal purple brooch when attending the Championships. But on this occasion, she opted to go without the accessory.
Symbolism of the brooch and possible reasons
The distinctive bow reflects the officials colours of the tournament and symbolises her role as patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, the private members’ club that hosts Wimbledon every year. It is an exclusive emblem, with only the patron, president, committee of management, vice-presidents and a handful of senior members of staff allowed to wear it.
Quite why Kate chose to ditch the brooch remains a mystery. A lifelong tennis fan, the princess inherited the prestigious patronage from the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2016, who held the role for 64 years. As part of her role, she hands out the trophies to the winning men’s and women’s singles players every year and is a regular visitor to the Royal Box on Centre Court. Kate is understood to be a keen player herself and even had a tennis court built in the grounds of Anmer Hall, the Norfolk country home she shared with the Prince of Wales and their three children.
