As the world’s most prestigious tennis tournament returns to London, all eyes are not only on the court but also on the royal box. Princess Kate is expected to have a busy schedule next week as Wimbledon 2025 gets underway on June 30.
The anticipated presence for the Princess of Wales, marks both a royal tradition and a symbolic return to public life following a difficult year. Since 2016, Princess Kate has served as Patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
A lifelong tennis enthusiast, she has made frequent appearances at the sporting tournament, where she typically takes on ceremonial duties such as presenting the winner’s trophies during finals weekend.
Last year, Kate did not attend the women’s singles final, and Wimbledon chairwoman Debbie Jevans presented the trophy to Barbora Krejcikova on her behalf.
For the men’s final, it marked the second major public appearance of 2024 for Kate, and she enjoyed the day out alongside her daughter, Princess Charlotte, and her sister, Pippa Matthews. The Princess later presented Carlos Alcaraz with the winning trophy after his victory against Novak Djokovic.
In 2017, the Princess spoke on a BBC documentary about the sport: “I have watched Wimbledon, that was very much part of my growing up. It’s such a quintessential part of the English summer, and I think it really inspires youngsters, myself, it inspired me when I was younger to get involved in the game. It hasn’t changed either, I think that’s what’s so wonderful.”
The only time the Princess has missed the tournament was in 2013 when she was pregnant with Prince George – it happened to be the year when Andy Murray became the first British man to win the men’s final in 77 years.
Wimbledon is also likely to be a family affair. Prince William and their children could join her in the royal box at some point during the fortnight, continuing a family tradition of public engagement through sport.
Her presence underlines a careful but meaningful step forward in her recovery. The Princess of Wales had a difficult 2024, having to undergo an abdominal surgery at the start of the year as well as being diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer.
While the royal has since revealed that she is in “remission,” she continues to recover from the illness and find the right balance following her health battle.