Kate Middleton delights royal fans after waving to starstruck Wimbledon spectator who called out to her on Centre Court
Much to the joy of spectators and competitors alike, Kate, 43, made a surprise appearance at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in London on Saturday to watch the Women's Singles Final.
Taking to Instagram, mother-of-three Laura-Anna shared a clip from the moment Kate stepped out onto the pitch to present the trophy to Iga Swiatek.
The crowds quickly erupted into proud cheers, before one man shouted, 'We love you Kate.'
His sweet gesture caused Kate, who is the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, to smile and wave.
The clip quickly did the rounds on social media, with commentators gushing over the royal.
One said, 'She is just the sweetest princess.' A second added, 'He's just yelling how we all feel we all love her.'
A third user wrote, 'The #PrincessofWales is just so humble and modest and beautiful.'
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Another said, 'I like Catherine so much! What a sweet woman, kind but with a backbone. Talented and humble.' A fifth added, 'Adored. She is so cute.'
It comes after the Princess of Wales consoled a tearful Amanda Asiminova after she was thrashed in the most one-sided Wimbledon final since 1911.
Kate placed her hand on the American's arm and told her to 'keep your head high' following the 23-year-old's 6-0, 6-0 loss to Iga Swiatek on Centre Court in just 57 minutes.
The patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club presented the runners-up trophy to the 13th seed who struggled to contain her tears.
Anisimova had to briefly leave the court following her humbling at the hands of an inspired Swiatek, 24, as she recorded a double bagel scoreline in the women's final - the first in 114 years and for only the second time in the tournament's history.
Anisimova said meeting Kate 'was the positive of today' and told how she had been 'really kind'.
Speaking after the match, she said: 'It was such an honour to meet her. I wasn't sure if she was going to come out today, if she was going to be there, so it's just really nice to see her.
'She definitely had a few things to say that were making me emotional again.'
Viewers took to the comment section to praise Kate following her surprise appearance at Wimbledon yesterday
A tearful Anisimova wiped away tears during her post-match interview on court as she praised Swiatek and said she had 'run out of gas a bit today'.
She was playing in her first Wimbledon final and said 'she would never forget this experience'.
Anisimova broke down again as she mentioned how her mother had flew in from America this morning to watch her.
'Thank you for being here and breaking the superstition of not flying in - it isn't why I lost here,' she joked.
Anisimova: 'I know I didn't have enough today but I will keep putting in the work and I hope to be back here one day.'
A victorious Swiatek, the first Polish woman to win Wimbledon, also offered words of encouragement to Anisimova.
'First I want to congratulate Amanda for an amazing two weeks. You should be proud of the work you are doing and I hope we will play more finals her,'' she said.
'I didn't even dream, for me it was way too far. I feel like I am already an experienced player after winning the Slams before but I never expected this one.
A triumphant Iga Swiatek celebrated winning the Wimbledon final as she raised the Venus Rosewater Dish on the Centre Court balcony
The patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club presented the trophy to Swiatek after she triumphed 6-0 6-0 against American Anisimova on Centre Court
The 23-year-old 13th seed broke down in tears as she thanked her mother and revealed how she had flown to the UK this morning to watch her in the final
A tearful Anisimova, the 13th seed, wiped away tears as she praised Swiatek and said she had 'run out of gas a bit today'
Catherine, the Princess of Wales, shook hands with Wimbledon staff - July 12, 2025
Iga Swiatek of Poland kisses the Ladies' Singles Trophy following her victory against Amanda Anisimova
'This year I really, really enjoyed it and feel I improved my form here.
'I am always going to remember the opening of champagne bottles between serves! It is a sound that will keep me away at night!'
The only ever time there has been a 6-0, 6-0 scoreline in a Grand Slam final was in 1988 when Steffi Graf beat Natasha Zvereva in the French Open.
Belarusian Zvereva was also coincidentally the 13th seed for that tournament.
Kate had earlier arrived on court alongside chair Debbie Jevans and put on a stunning display in a cream ensemble, including a high collared belted top, flowing skirt and a £950 Anya Hindmarch tote bag.
She added a 'Wimbledon bow' to her ensemble, which features the official colours of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club - purple and green.
Before taking her seat, Kate met a string of tennis champions alongside Jevans, including Chinese wheelchair tennis player Wang Ziying.
Elsewhere, Kate beamed as she met Bob Flin, Wimbledon's longest-serving Honorary Steward, Wimbledon foundation host Shaniah Williams, as well as Jefferson Iweh, a ticket sales operator.
The Princess of Wales also met Sophie Kneen, 12, who is due to perform the coin toss at the ladies' final, and eight-year-old Lydia Lowe, who did the same at the ladies' wheelchair final.
The royal, who is making a steady return to public duties following her cancer diagnosis, was joined by legendary tennis player Billie Jean King.
Last year, the Princess presented the Wimbledon men's final trophy to Carlos Alcaraz, in her second public engagement since she announced her cancer diagnosis.
The Princess of Wales's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, were seen in the Royal Box on Monday, with the Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duchess of Gloucester also in attendance.
The Queen told tennis star Novak Djokovic that she was keeping her 'fingers crossed' as she visited Wimbledon on Wednesday.
The Princess Royal's son Peter Phillips attended the championships on Wednesday, with Hugh Grant and former prime minister Sir John Major also in the Royal Box.
Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah, former footballer Ian Wright and Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins were among the notable names to attend a hot day at the world-renowned tournament today.
Świątek previously crushed British No. 2 Emma Raducanu for the second Grand Slam in a row in May, with a 6-1, 6-2 defeat in the second round of Roland Garros.
Kate, who has been the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club since 2016, is often tasked with handing out trophies, but it renowned for her kind gestures.
In 2023, Tunisian tennis player Ons Jabeur was tearful after coming runner-up in two consecutive finals, following a loss at the US Open the same year.
As the royal presented her with her runners-up prize, the two stopped to talk, with Kate offering words of encouragement and embracing the visibly distressed athlete in a break from royal protocol.
In an interview, Jabeur said: 'Obviously, she was very nice. She didn't know if she wanted to give me a hug or not. I told her hugs are always welcome from me.'
The royal appears to be keenly interested in their conversation prior to the match
The Princess of Wales takes a sneak peak behind her chic sunglasses at the Wimbledon Women's final
Princess of Wales smiles as she greets tennis legend Martina Navratilova in the Royal Box on Centre Court ahead of the women's singles final
Catherine, Princess of Wales, smiles in the Royal Box prior to the the Ladies' Singles Final
Amanda Anisimova of the U.S and Poland's Iga Swiatek before the women's singles final
Iga Swiatek of Poland poses prior the Women's Singles final match with Amanda Anisimova of the USA
Amanda Anisimova during the Ladies' Singles Final on day thirteen of The Championships Wimbledon
When she was asked what Kate had said to her, she added: 'Same thing after last year. To encourage me to be strong, to come back and win a Grand Slam, win a Wimbledon.'
The Princess has been a fan of the sport since childhood, with the royal telling Sue Barker in a 2017 BBC documentary: 'I have watched Wimbledon, that was very much part of my growing up.
'I think it really inspires youngsters, myself, it inspired me when I was younger to get involved in the game. It hasn't changed either, I think that's what's so wonderful.'
Speaking to HELLO! magaine, Jabeur added that the Royal initiated the warm embrace, noting her kind energy was a significant support: 'She was really the nicest. She has watched me twice, losing the final twice.
'She kept asking me if she could hug me, and I was like, 'Who doesn't want a hug from a Princess, you know?'
'For me, it was such an amazing moment. And not just that, I felt her kindness and energy around me.'
Today, the temperatures are forecast to peak at around 30C and fall short of a record for a women's singles final day, with 31.2C having been recorded on the day of the 1976 final between Chris Evert and Evonne Goolagong Cawley.
Glowing Catherine appears thrilled to see one spectator as she prepares to take her seat
Kate was glowing as she prepared to watch Amanda Anisimova and Iga Świątek battle it out on the court
Kate waved to spectators at day 13 of Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
Her long brown locks glistened in the sun as she chatted with fellow spectators
Pictured: The Princess of Wales met Bob Flint (pictured), Wimbledon's longest serving Honorary Steward
Pictured: Kate smiling as she met Bob Flint, Wimbledon's longest serving Honorary Steward, today
The 43-year-old royal opted for a glowing makeup look for the occasion, complete with a smoky eye
Kate put on a stunning display in a cream ensemble as she entered Wimbledon alongside AELTC chair Debbie Jevans
The royal added a special bow featuring the official All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club to her ensemble
The mother-of-three put on a chic display in a cream ensemble, including a high-collared belted top, flowing skirt and a £950 Anya Hindmarch tote bag
Pictured: Kate with AELTC chair Debbie Jevans as she arrived to attend the Ladies' Singles Final
Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said: 'There will be blue skies at Wimbledon throughout the day, so it will feel hot, with very high UV levels and a light wind.
'There might be a little bit more cloud around tomorrow, making it a degree lower.'
The men's singles semi-final on Friday between Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz was stopped twice in less than five minutes because of crowd emergencies, amid temperatures of 32C on Centre Court.
Three fans also needed attention on Centre Court on Thursday in similarly hot conditions.
The men's singles final on Sunday, with highs of 29C predicted, is unlikely to break the record of the warmest closing day on record of 34.1C recorded on July 3 1976.
The extreme heat during the 1976 tournament prompted organisers to allow umpires to remove their jackets.
Wimbledon has said the heat rule will apply for all singles events for players, which allows for a 10-minute break when the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) is at or above 30.1C.
The Princess of Wales took to Wimbledon on Saturday to watch the women's final from the Royal Box today
Kate met Lydia Lowe, eight, from the Dan Maskell Tennis Trust, before watching the final on Saturday
The Princess of Wales meeting Shaniah Williams and Jefferson Iweh as she arrives to attend the Ladies' Singles Final
Pictured: Kate at day thirteen of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
Pictured: Kate at the Women's Singles final match between Iga Swiatek of Poland against Amanda Anisimova of the USA
The rule will apply after the second set for all best-of-three-set matches, and after the third set for all best-of-five-set matches.
Players may leave the court during the break, but they may not receive coaching or medical treatment.
Last year, Kate, who had stepped away from public royal duties while undergoing cancer treatment, was greeted with a standing ovation when she arrived to SW19.
She presented the Wimbledon Men's trophy to Carlos Alcaraz, after he took on veteran Novak Djokovic, winning in three sets.
Before passing the trophy to Alcaraz, Kate commiserated and shook the hand of runner-up Novak Djokovic.
She attended the prestigious sporting competition alongside her daughter, Princess Charlotte, and her sister, Pippa Middleton.
Before the mother-daughter duo took their seats in the Royal Box, they met with female tennis stars, including 21-year-old Emma Radacanu, who all presented Kate with a bouquet of flowers.
Charlotte grinned from ear to ear as she met with the tennis star, who sadly saw her Wimbledon dream crushed on Centre Court by New Zealand qualifier Lulu Sun last week.
Kate and Charlotte were also greeted by Sonay Kartal, Lily Miyazaki, Lucy Shuker and Flora Johnson as they arrived on the players' lawn at Wimbledon before entering Centre Court.
Kate joined Wimbledon for the Women's Final on Saturday alongside AELTC chair Debbie Jevans
Kate, who styled her long, brunette locks in curls for the occasion, appeared cheerful as she met Ziying Wang, Ladies Singles Wheelchair Final Champion with Ralph Yin, coach and translator
Kate completed her outfit with a £950 tote bag from English designer's eponymous Anya Hindmarch
Charlotte gave wheelchair tennis player Shuker a 'pinky promise' that she would try the sport alongside her mother.
Kate was also introduced to Raducanu, who was knocked out in the fourth round of this year's championships, telling her: 'It was so hard to see you go out.'
US Open winner Raducanu said it was 'amazing' to have the support of the princess and 'see her here looking so healthy and happy'.
It's no secret that ambitious blood runs through the Middleton veins, as Pippa and Kate were both known to be super competitive with sports at school events as children.
They were both on the hockey team as teenagers, though the Princess of Wales was team captain during her years at Marlborough College in Wiltshire.
Kate always enjoyed physical education as a student and even went on to become a star tennis player, a keen netball player and used to beat the boys at high jump.
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