Wimbledon 2024 has kicked off with several celebrity appearances in the stands—but it’s still uncertain whether or not we can expect an appearance from Princess Kate.
The Princess of Wales is a beloved fixture at the yearly tennis tournament in London, the oldest in the world. As the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club since 2016, Kate has made some of her most memorable public engagements at the event, which runs this year from July 1 to July 14. However, as Kate continues to undergo treatment for cancer, her Wimbledon RSVP status has been left up in the air.
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Whether or not Kate decides to come, Wimbledon organizers are still “hopeful” they’ll see the princess this year.
“We’re hopeful that the Princess of Wales will be able to present the trophies as the Club’s patron, but her health and recovery is the priority,” Debbie Jevans, chair of the All England Club, recently told The Telegraph. “We don’t know what we don’t know. All we’ve said is that we’ll work with her and give her as much flexibility as possible.”
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Kate last made a public appearance at Trooping the Colour in London on June 15, which marked her first official engagement since last Christmas. She then announced her cancer diagnosis earlier this year. She confirmed her attendance at the celebration a day before it took place—which means that if Kate decides to go to Wimbledon, we may similarly receive a last-minute announcement about that, too.
When she confirmed her plans to attend Trooping the Colour, the princess cautioned that one public appearance doesn’t mean she is quite ready to make a full-time return to royal duties. “I am not out of the woods yet,” she wrote. “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.”
As an associate editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, Chelsey keeps a finger on the pulse on all things celeb news. She also writes on social movements, connecting with activists leading the fight on workers' rights, climate justice, and more. Offline, she’s probably spending too much time on TikTok, rewatching Emma (the 2020 version, of course), or buying yet another corset.
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