Wimbledon Appearance Dubbed 1 of Kate Middleton’s ‘Little Wins’ Amid Cancer Battle
Kate Middleton might’ve handed out trophies to Wimbledon winners, but she was also something of a winner herself. The Princess of Wales, 42, going to the famed tennis tournament to watch the final proved to be one of her “little wins” amid her ongoing cancer battle.
Going to Wimbledon has given Kate ‘sustenance’
After much speculation about if and when she’d go to Wimbledon, Kate did just that on July 14, 2024. She watched the final match between Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic from the Royal Box at Centre Court.
With Kate in London, England, were Princess Charlotte, her and Prince William’s 9-year-old daughter, and her sister, Pippa Middleton Matthews, 40. A palace source told People the outing “will have given her sustenance” as her preventative chemotherapy treatment continues.
“She has gone through something awful and stressful,” they said. “And it is crucial to have little wins to look forward to or to give you the courage and energy to go forward, and this was it.”
Wimbledon marked Kate’s second official public appearance of the year after Trooping the Colour in June. As patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, she’s a regular at Wimbledon. In 2023 alone, she went to the tournament three times.
She showed ‘courage and character’ going to Wimbledon
Kate’s decision to go to Wimbledon “showed a lot of courage and character, as she knew that the world was watching,” Robert Jobson, a royal biographer and author of the upcoming book Catherine: The Princess of Wales, said.
Kate’s been out of the spotlight since announcing her cancer diagnosis on March 22, 2024, in a rare video statement. It came after the royal mother of three underwent abdominal surgery two months earlier.
Since then, she’s shared only one major update. In a June 14, 2024, statement, Kate said her treatment will continue “for a few more months.” For now, she’s “taking each day as it comes” and learning to live with uncertainty.
The standing ovation for Kate may have given her a boost
Part of Wimbledon lifting Kate’s spirits could be the standing ovation she received upon her arrival. As Kate headed to her seat in the Royal Box, guests stood and clapped for the future queen.
Then, as royal photographer Karwai Tang noted, Kate waited a beat. “She usually comes in, walks down, and into her seat,” they said. “But she stood for a while and took it all in.”
“For her to acknowledge it and take in the applause was special,” the photographer added. “Wimbledon has been waiting with bated breath for her to return, and she was back.” According to a lip reader, Kate reacted to the standing ovation by calling it “so sweet.”
Kate’s appearance at Wimbledon wasn’t a surprise. On July 13, 2024, Kensington Palace announced she’d be at the men’s final one month after her return to public life (via NBC). She hasn’t, however, officially returned to royal duties. Until that time, whenever it may be, Kate’s reportedly focused on enjoying the summer.
