The Princess of Wales made an unannounced visit to Wimbledon today, greeting tennis fans who had spent the night camping in the queue for tickets. The surprise appearance came just days after she completed the gruelling Three Peaks Challenge at the weekend to raise funds for the Royal Marsden Hospital.
Dressed in a blue suit with her hair in a ponytail, Kate shook hands and chatted with fans outside the All England Club. She also met tournament organisers and helped scan tickets before making her way to Court 18.
Royal Presence on Court 18
On Court 18, the Princess sat alongside former British number one Tim Henman and All England Club chair Deborah Jevans to watch British player Arthur Fery in his second-round match against Finland's Otto Virtanen. Kate, a known tennis enthusiast, often appears in the Royal Box during the tournament and now has the role of presenting trophies to the singles champions.
Memories of Queueing for Tickets
Kate recalled her own experiences of queueing for Wimbledon tickets before becoming a royal. In 2023, she told British number one Emma Raducanu how she had waited in line with her father, Michael, and sister, Pippa, as a child. "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, adding they would arrive "at the crack of dawn."
Other British players in action today include Katie Swan, who faces Madison Keys on Court One, and Jacob Fearnley, who plays Spain's Jaume Munar on Court 12.
