Princess Kate made a surprise appearance at Wimbledon on Saturday, attending the ladies' singles final in a rare public outing since her cancer treatment. The 43-year-old Princess of Wales beamed as she arrived at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, marking her first event after cancelling her attendance at Royal Ascot last month.
Kate, a regular at Wimbledon since her marriage in 2011, was greeted by a standing ovation from 15,000 fans inside Centre Court. She spoke with women's wheelchair tennis champion Wang Ziying shortly after her victory, and had a lengthy chat with eight-year-old Lydia Lowe, who suffered a brain injury earlier this year. Lydia, representing the Dan Maskell Tennis Trust, advised Kate to 'take deep breaths' when nervous, to which Kate replied: 'I'll remember that. Thank you.'
The Princess also met 12-year-old Sophie Kneen, who performed the coin toss for the women's final, and Wimbledon's longest-serving steward Bob Flint, who has worked at the Championships for 45 years. She was joined in the royal box by tennis legends Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King, as well as celebrities including Adam Peaty, Stanley Tucci, and Mo Farah.
Kate wore a cream ensemble with a high-collared blouse and pleated midi skirt, accessorised with the Wimbledon purple and green bow. Her appearance comes as she continues a phased return to public life after undergoing cancer treatment.
