Princess Kate sent royal fans into a frenzy on Thursday by making one very un-royal decision at Wimbledon. The Princess of Wales, an avid tennis player and patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, typically watches matches from the royal box and presents the trophy to the winner. However, in a break from tradition, she chose to sit among the spectators on Court Number One and Court 18, swerving the royal box entirely.
Fans React to Kate's Unconventional Seating
Wearing a stunning blue linen suit and white top, the Princess appeared transfixed on the games throughout the day, gasping and putting her hands over her face during tense matches. One person gushed: "So lovely to see HRH sitting with fellow fans and spectators." Another joked that Wimbledon had now "officially started." ESPN NFL Reporter Jeff Darlington added: "Sign of a true tennis fan to see Princess Kate showing up at Wimbledon and sitting at the outer courts, away from the Royal Box and Centre Court, to catch some third-round tennis."
Fans were not only shocked about the Royal Box, but also that she sat among the crowds without clearing the area, or being surrounded by security. One person wrote: "Sat in the Stands, no problem, no security issues, interacted direct with fans." A second added: "And didn’t clear out an entire section for herself. She sat amongst the crowd and had a jolly time."
Kate's Day on the Courts
Kate headed firstly to Court 18 to watch Briton Arthur Fery play his second-round match against Finn Otto Virtanen. The Princess then took a seat in Court One to watch Briton Katie Swan as she faced Madison Keys. Throughout the day, she sat next to her good friend and tennis star Sir Andy Murray, whom she shared a moving tribute for after he played his final Wimbledon match in 2024.
Before the matches, the Princess chatted to members of the public and helped hand out grounds passes to tennis fans. Eagle-eyed royal fans spotted that Kate, 44, was wearing a microphone at the event, which she wore during her Three Peaks Challenge. It is unclear what the microphone is for.
