Prince William displayed a 'revealing' gesture towards Kate Middleton during a family outing to Wimbledon, offering insight into their real relationship, according to royal experts. The Prince and Princess of Wales attended the men's singles final on July 12 with their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
William's deliberate step back
The Daily Mail's Diary Editor Richard Eden observed that William walked two steps behind Kate as they entered Centre Court. Speaking on Palace Confidential, Eden said: 'William walked two steps behind Catherine as they entered Centre Court. It was very deliberate. I think it was because she is the patron (of the Lawn Tennis Association), it was her day. What struck me was the willingness of William to do that, even though he's senior, he is the one who will be King.'
Eden compared William's behaviour to that of his grandfather, Prince Philip, who always walked two steps behind the late Queen to ensure she remained the focus. 'It says a lot about their relationship that he is so confident, that he's happy to do that,' Eden added.
Contrast with previous royal marriages
Eden and the Daily Mail's Senior Editor-at-Large Richard Kay noted that this contrasted sharply with the relationship between William's parents, King Charles and Princess Diana. Eden claimed there were 'tensions' when Charles felt overshadowed by Diana. Kay added that Queen Camilla is 'much happier to melt into the background and allow the spotlight to fall on her husband,' which he believes is the foundation of their solid relationship.
Kay said: 'You do need to have a double act. Catherine and William are very good at it and they're getting better all the time. She's aware of the fact he's going to be monarch but William is also aware that Catherine is immensely popular and the public want to see her in much the same way that many years ago, they wanted to see his mother.'
Kate's role as LTA patron
Kate became patron of the Lawn Tennis Association in 2016, taking over from the late Queen. A lifelong tennis enthusiast, she has attended Wimbledon multiple times this year, including the early rounds and both the women's and men's finals. During the visit, Kate and her children were seen chatting to British wildcard Arthur Fery, who made a surprising run to the semi-finals.
