The Princess of Wales, a devoted tennis enthusiast, is typically a prominent presence at Wimbledon, a highlight of her summer schedule. As the patron of the All England Club, Kate, 42, often makes several visits to the tournament, which begins in just over two weeks. In recent years, she has also had the honor of presenting trophies to singles winners, including Novak Djokovic.
However, this year, Kate's attendance at the tournament in SW19 is uncertain as she continues her recovery from a cancer diagnosis and subsequent preventative chemotherapy treatment.
During a media briefing ahead of the tournament, Deborah Jevans, the chair of the All England Club, addressed the possibility of the princess making an appearance. According to the Express, she stated, "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."
When questioned about who would present the trophies on July 13 and 14 if Kate is unable to attend, Jevans responded, "As in previous years, we will announce those that are going to be a part of that ceremony on the morning of the finals, so nothing has changed in that regard."
Recently, Kate did not attend the Colonel's Review, the traditional dress rehearsal for Trooping the Colour. She sent the Irish Guards, of which she is a colonel, a letter apologizing for her absence and wishing them well.
Meanwhile, the King, who is also undergoing cancer treatment, will attend his birthday celebrations in London on Saturday. In a change to his usual routine, the monarch will travel in an Ascot Landau carriage with Queen Camilla instead of riding on horseback to inspect the troops.
