The Princess of Wales made a surprise appearance at Wimbledon on Thursday, greeting tennis fans who had queued for hours in the hope of securing a ticket to the tournament. Kate, wearing a blue linen suit, spoke to attendees who had been waiting outside the All England Lawn Tennis Club since as early as 4am.
Kate Helps Hand Out Tickets
The princess, who is patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, joined stewards to help take payment and hand out tickets to lucky fans who managed to gain entry after a long wait. She told two tennis fans to “have a great time” as she handed them a ticket on Thursday morning.
In the queue, Kate was seen smiling and laughing as she greeted visitors and took pictures with them. Speaking to two excited children, she asked them if they were big tennis fans, to which they smiled and nodded. One attendee congratulated the princess on her recent Three Peaks challenge.
Royal Patronage and Recent Health
Kate is patron of the AELTC and regularly attends Wimbledon. Last year, she presented the men’s trophy to world number one Jannik Sinner after watching the singles final on Centre Court with the Prince of Wales. The princess was diagnosed with cancer in 2024 and made her second public appearance following her diagnosis at the championships that year. She was greeted with cheers and applause as she and Princess Charlotte took their seats in the front row of the royal box at Centre Court. At the start of 2025, she confirmed she was free from the disease.
Match Day Activities
After entering the grounds, Kate was welcomed by a round of applause and cheers as she walked past Henman Hill. She waved at spectators before entering Court 18 to watch Briton Arthur Fery play his second-round match against Finnish Otto Virtanen. She sat alongside chairwoman of the AELTC Deborah Jevans and former professional player Tim Henman.
Kate also met with children from the local Shine Camera Club, which supports children from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop confidence, creativity, and self-expression through photography. The children showed Kate Polaroid pictures they had taken around the Wimbledon grounds. Speaking to one child, the princess praised a photo of a tree, calling it “abstract” and telling them: “I love that.” While speaking about the importance of photography and arts, she said: “Creativity is such a good way of exploring your emotions.”
Later, Kate took a seat in Court One to watch Briton Katie Swan face American Madison Keys. She walked down the corridor leading to the court with former world number one Sir Andy Murray. The pair have been friends for many years, with Kate sharing a touching tribute to the tennis star after he played his final Wimbledon match in 2024.
