The Princess of Wales greeted tennis fans who queued for hours hoping to secure a ticket to Wimbledon, as she attended the fourth day of the tournament on Thursday. Kate wore a blue linen suit as she spoke to hopeful attendees who had waited outside the All England Lawn Tennis Club since as early as 4am to gain access to the championships.
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 people 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. In the queue, she could be 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. Kate also spoke to honorary stewards, who volunteer each year to manage the busy queue.
Onlookers Cheer as Kate Arrives
Onlookers stopped to take pictures as Kate entered the grounds of the famous sports venue. After entering, she was welcomed by a round of applause and cheers as she walked past Henman Hill. The princess waved at spectators.
Kate Watches Arthur Fery Match
She then entered Court 18 to watch Briton Arthur Fery play his second-round match against Finnish Otto Virtanen. Kate sat alongside chairwoman of the AELTC Deborah Jevans, and former professional player Tim Henman.
Background: Kate's Patronage and Health
The princess is patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club 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.
