The 2024 Wimbledon season began on July 1 without a Kate Middleton sighting. That should come as no surprise to anyone following the news cycle because the Princess of Wales is still battling cancer. But after her Trooping the Colour appearance on June 15, where she showed up looking healthy and strong, there is hope that a cameo at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club during the tennis tournament will happen.
The All England Club chair Debbie Jevans isn’t putting any pressure on Kate to attend this year’s event even though they would love to have her present the trophies after the men’s and women’s singles finals. Jevans told The Telegraph Sport that they are offering her “as much flexibility as possible” as the royal patron of Wimbledon. It’s a role she’s held since 2016, and Kate is often spotted making multiple appearances in the royal box during the event.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge attend The Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 10, 2022 in London, England.Karwai Tang/WireImage via Getty Images.
Kate’s decision to attend the elite tennis tournament will likely be a last-minute decision, just like it was with Trooping the Colour. She’s keeping her summer calendar loose because as she shared in her personal message before her first appearance that she’s not out of the woods. “I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty. Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much-needed time to heal,” she wrote on her X account.
Her motto this summer is reportedly “under-promising and over-delivering” with moments that might include “a powerful emotional message, a surprise photograph, and a full-scale outing to come that no one would have expected her to manage.” In June, it was clear that Jevans was in communication with the palace about Kate’s health and how that would affect Wimbledon this year. “Our priority is clearly that our Patron has the time to recover and we’re certainly not going to add any additional pressure on her recovery by speculating on her attendance at this year’s Championships,” she told the media, via The Telegraph.
While it wouldn’t be surprising to see Kate turn up for the finals, her health is going to dictate whether that can actually happen. The tournament will likely have alternate plans in place, but any Princess of Wales cameo will be a headline-worthy event.
