logo
It's Kate to see you! Princess of Wales appears emotional as she is met with huge cheers and applause at Wimbledon

It's Kate to see you! Princess of Wales appears emotional as she is met with huge cheers and applause at Wimbledon

Daily Mail​15-07-2025
This is the moment the Princess of Wales was overwhelmed by a huge chorus of cheers and clapping as she took her seat in the Royal Box for the Wimbledon final.
Kate, who is patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, waved to the crowd as she received a standing ovation on her arrival to Centre Court on Saturday.
Dressed in a stunning cream outfit, including a high collared belted top and flowing skirt, she greeted famous faces in the Royal Box on her way to her seat.
The Princess, who is making a steady return to public duties following her cancer diagnosis, also shook the hand of six-time Wimbledon champion Billie Jean King.
At the end of the match, Kate presented the winner's trophy to Iga Swiatek who took just 57 minutes to wipe American Amanda Anisimova off the court 6-0 6-0.
Kate was seen consoling Anisimova and told her to keep her 'head high' after she became the first player to be 'double bagelled' in a Wimbledon final since 1911.
Speaking after the match about meeting Kate, Anisimova 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.
Centre Court rises to give a warm welcome to our Patron HRH The Princess of Wales 💜💚 #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/BG3Ar7XMWv
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 12, 2025
'She definitely had a few things to say that were making me emotional again.
'She was really kind and she told me to keep my head high.'
Anisimova added: 'I guess it was a positive of today, and I can try and focus on that and not the match.'
The princess also spoke to ball boys and girls as she came onto court for the presentation.
Ahead of the final, the princess - wearing a white belted jacket and pleated skirt - met eight-year-old Lydia Lowe, who performed the coin toss at the women's wheelchair final.
After shaking her hand, the princess asked the eight-year-old whether she was 'nervous' about the coin toss, adding: 'Have you got any advice for me? Because I've got to go out.'
Lydia, who suffered a brain injury in January 2024, leaving her visually impaired and having to relearn to walk, talk and eat, replied: 'Don't be nervous. Take deep breaths.'
Kate told Lydia that she was a 'pro' and asked her 'what does it mean to you to come and do this?', with the eight-year-old replying: 'It means loads to me.'
The princess added that she wanted to say 'well done' and celebrate Lydia's 'bravery'.
Lydia performed the coin toss while representing the Dan Maskell Tennis Trust, a charity supporting people with disabilities who play tennis by providing them with specialist equipment and grants.
Kate also met Sophie Kneen, 12, who was selected to perform the coin toss at the women's singles final, representing the AFC Wimbledon Foundation.
Speaking after meeting the future queen, Sophie told the PA news agency: 'It was so, so good, and I'm really honoured to be able to meet her.
'She asked me a bit about the charity I'm with and I said how they try and encourage young girls to play sports.'
Accompanied by All England Club chairwoman Deborah Jevans, Kate also congratulated women's wheelchair singles champion Wang Ziying and asked her whether the final was a 'good game'.
The princess said to the Chinese player: 'It's very hot playing in this weather, isn't it?
Kate waves to the crowd as she entered Centre Court ahead of the women's final today
'It must be nice to celebrate at Wimbledon.'
Kate, who donned a bow-shaped brooch in the Wimbledon colours of purple and green, also spoke with Jefferson Iweh, a ticket sales operator; Bob Flint, an honorary steward; and Wimbledon foundation host Shaniah Williams.
The princess told Mr Flint, 75, who first worked at the championships in 1980: 'Well done for all the years of commitment and dedication.'
Asked about meeting the princess, Ms Williams, 23, said: 'It was an absolute privilege to actually meet and have a conversation with her. She's so beautiful.
'It was really nice to catch up with her and tell her a bit about my role.'
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 Wimbledon on Saturday.
Temperatures fell 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.
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 is at or above 30.1C.
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.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

'What is Sarina doing?' - Wright 'baffled' by Wiegman call in Euro 2025 final
'What is Sarina doing?' - Wright 'baffled' by Wiegman call in Euro 2025 final

Metro

time9 minutes ago

  • Metro

'What is Sarina doing?' - Wright 'baffled' by Wiegman call in Euro 2025 final

Ian Wright says he 'couldn't believe' Alessia Russo was taken off after scoring against Spain and feels Sarina Wiegman was 'very fortunate' to avoid a backlash as England went on to win the Euro 2025 final on penalties. For the third match on the bounce, the Lionesses were forced to come from behind after conceding to a Mariona Caldentey header midway through the first half in Basel. Just as they had done against both Sweden and Italy, the holders dug deep and managed to wrestle the momentum back in their favour, with Russo reacting brilliantly to nod home Chloe Kelly's pinpoint cross and level in the 57th minute. The two teams could not be separated after extra-time and it was England who eventually prevailed after another nerve-jangling shootout, with Kelly scoring the decisive spot-kick to seal a famous 3-1 win over the world champions. The Lionesses' latest triumph – which came at the end of a rollercoaster campaign – marked the first time in history that an English team had won a major tournament on foreign soil. It also further cemented Wiegman's legendary status as an international head coach. The 55-year-old first lifted the trophy with the Netherlands in 2017 before steering England to back-to-back titles over the last three years. Dissecting the final on the Crossways podcast, Wright was somewhat reluctant to criticise Wiegman considering just how far England had come since she took over the reins from Phil Neville. However, the iconic ex-Arsenal striker believes there were a couple of key decisions which could easily have gone against the England boss on another day. 'I've got to say, the Russo substitution is the most baffling thing I'll ever see if she's not injured. I could not believe it,' Wright said. 'Michelle [Agyemang] came on and, obviously, she's amazing, Young Player of the Tournament, only coming off the bench and doing enough to win, that was amazing on her part. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'But I think she [Agyemang] needs Russo on there with her in this time. 'They would have caused Spain so many problems because Russo would have dropped off, she would have been in the box. 'What is Sarina doing taking her off?! What's she doing taking her off?! I couldn't believe it.' According to Wright, Wiegman has proven beyond doubt that she is a 'genius' and a 'legend' – but hauling Russo off with 20 minutes remaining made little sense in the context of the match. 'She was feeding off scraps,' Wright said of Russo. 'When you're playing in a game like that, all you're hoping for is one chance that you can try and take, which she did, and then you get a second wind. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'When she went off you could see it. She's so sweet and she's saying thank you to everybody but you can see it in her mind, she must be thinking, 'What the f***'s going on?! What are you taking me off for?!' 'In the end, she's very fortunate. She's obviously shown she's a great coach with three European Championships on the spin. That's legendary. 'But some of the decisions… you're thinking to yourself, 'If that's what you're doing on purpose because you see the outcome in your head then you are a genius!', but she is a genius with what she's done.' Wright was similarly taken aback that Wiegman opted to 'gamble' on Lauren James' fitness when she had a player of Kelly's quality raring to go the start. 'With Lauren James, it's a Euros final. If she thinks, 'You know what? If I can get something out of myself I might be able to do it', then you're going to play,' he continued. 'And I think it was a gamble that I don't think Sarina should have taken, especially when you've got Chloe there. Chloe is ready to go and she showed that when she came on. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'I thought it was strange. Again, you're talking about somebody who is obviously not fit enough. 'Then, we know that [Lauren] Hemp can come back and work back as well and help and you've got Ona Batlle, Aitana Bonmati and Athenea del Castillo all on that side, that's the most attacking they can be on that side, and you've got Lauren James whose natural game is not to track back and try stop those players. 'She's half fit and it just felt like, 'Oh my gosh, what's going on?!'' More Trending Given the journey Kelly had gone on following a 'dark' time in her career at the start of the year, Wright had to fight back the tears when the Arsenal forward stepped up to convert the winning penalty. 'Who in history has had the opportunity to do that? She has won us a tournament the last kick,' he went on. 'I got emotional as well when she did it. I just had a feeling and I felt like I was going to cry. 'I was just so pleased for her and I wanted it to happen and I wanted it to happen for us a country.' Did Wiegman make a mistake bringing off Russo? For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Legendary Lioness hero 'tipped for glittering TV career' after Euros 2025 win MORE: When is the next Women's World Cup and where is it being held? MORE: Lionesses trophy parade: England celebrate historic Euro 2025 victory in London

Chloe Kelly's odds slashed to win SPOTY after Euro 2025 triumph
Chloe Kelly's odds slashed to win SPOTY after Euro 2025 triumph

Daily Mirror

time10 minutes ago

  • Daily Mirror

Chloe Kelly's odds slashed to win SPOTY after Euro 2025 triumph

Euro 2025 hero Chloe Kelly is now one of the front runners to win this year's Sports Personality of the Year Award and even ahead of Masters winner Rory McIlroy with some bookies Chloe Kelly, the footballer who secured back-to-back European Championships for the Lionesses, has had her odds slashed to this year's Sports Personality of the Year Award as the England continue their celebrations. The Arsenal forward's winning penalty in Switzerland helped secure England's second successive win in Europe as the Lionesses beat Spain on penalties. The London-born striker played such a crucial role despite not starting in any of the matches for England and now finds herself 6/4 with most bookies to win the Sports Personality of the Year Award, just a nose behind golfer Rory McIlroy who secured his career Grand Slam by winning the Masters. Other Lionesses in contention include goalkeeper Hannah Hampton - whose heroics between the sticks saved two penalties as Spain failed to convert their chances from the spot - at 13/2 while Lucy Bronze - who played the duration of the tournament with a fractured tibia - is 20/1 to win this year's prize. William Hill's spokesperson Lee Phelps said: 'Chloe Kelly was so inspiring in the Lionesses' victories in the quarter and semi-finals, yet before the final kicked-off she was 20/1 to win 2025 BBC Sports Personality Of The Year. However, after helping secure historic back-to-back Euros for the Lionesses with an assist and a winning penalty, Kelly is now just 6/4 second favourite behind Rory McIlroy (5/4) for SPOTY glory. 'Hannah Hampton has been equally impressive coming into the squad relatively late and helping the team to win shootouts against Sweden and Spain. After two crucial penalty saves in the final, her price has also plummeted to 13/2 from 33/1.' Yet for others, Kelly has emerged as the new favourite and tipped to win the trophy ahead of the Masters winner with bookmakers Coral listing the former Man City player to join the likes of Beth Mead and Mary Earps to have won the accolade. 'After holding her nerve to score the winning penalty in the women's Euros final, Chloe Kelly is the new favourite to win the 2025 BBC Personality of the Year Award,' said Coral's John Hill. 'The Lionesses could dominate the award ceremony this year, with goalkeeper Hannah Hampton and captain Leah Williamson at the top end of the betting,' Hill added. The 27-year-old did not start in any of the Lionesses matches during their Euro 2025 campaign but secured two assists and the winner against Italy deep into extra-time which helped secure their place in the final against Spain to set up a rematch after the World Cup heartache just two years prior. One of her assists came when it mattered most in the final as her cross from the wing found Alessia Russo's head to equalise and the turn game around as England controlled the majority of the match after the striker's equaliser. To top off her performance in the final, Kelly secured back-to-back winner status by scoring the winning penalty - echoing her significance in the 2022 Euros where she scored the winner against Germany in extra-time. Sports Personality of the Year Awards Rory McIlroy - 5/4 Chloe Kelly - 6/4 Hannah Hampton - 13/2 Luke Littler - 12/1 Lando Norris - 14/1 Lucy Bronze - 20/1 BAR - 28/1 18+ | Gamble responsibly | | Odds subject to change Football Betting Offers If you are on the lookout for the latest free bet offers, then look no further. Here, not only do we bring you numerous free bet offers, but all from the very best betting sites in the industry. Each bookie we recommend is fully licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, so you know you are always betting on a safe and trustworthy site. Check out the Mirror Betting Hubs Free Bets offers here. Gamble responsibly Reach plc is committed to promoting safer gambling. All of our content and recommended bets are advised to those aged 18 or over. Odds are subject to change too. We strongly encourage our readers to only ever bet what they can afford to lose. For more information, please call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or visit

League 1 predictions and best bets for 2025/26 season
League 1 predictions and best bets for 2025/26 season

The Independent

timean hour ago

  • The Independent

League 1 predictions and best bets for 2025/26 season

League 1 tips: There might have been football played all summer, but for fans of League One, it's been nearly 13 weeks since the normal season ended back in May. But the wait is almost over, their season kicks off this weekend with Luton versus AFC Wimbledon opening proceedings on Friday night. Last season, these two sides were two leagues apart, but following Luton's second relegation in successive seasons and Wimbledon winning the League 2 play-offs, they will be battling it out to get the first points on the board. League One prediction: Luton to keep up their yo-yo form After playing in the Premier League just two seasons ago, it's no surprise to see Luton are the favourites to be celebrating promotion in May in the League One odds. But after winning just 19 of their last 84 league games, they will need to hope they can stop the rot and quickly if they are to move back up the leagues. Manager Matt Bloomfield will be buoyed by how they ended the season, though, when three wins from their last four almost saw them pull off a great escape. In the end, they went down on goal difference from Hull City, which, after going 12 games without a win between Boxing Day and 1 March, was quite an achievement. Bloomfield replaced Rob Edwards in January, and he will also be aware that he needs a good start to life this season after winning just six of his 20 games in charge, but he knows League One well and when he left Wycombe to take charge of Luton, they were second in the league and had enjoyed a 19-match unbeaten run. They have made eight signings so far, including striker Nahki Wells and defender Hakeem Odoffin, who was Rotherham's player of the season last season. They have some real quality in their squad, and on paper, you would expect them to be challenging for promotion from the off, but their mindset will have to be right as travelling to Burton and Exeter is a far cry from Old Trafford and Anfield. But in Bloomfield, they have a manager with lower league experience as a player and a manager who will demand that his players do the basics right. It is hard to see much further than them or Huddersfield Town, who the football betting sites have as second favourites to be crowned champions. There is no Birmingham type in the league this season, and the other two relegated sides, Cardiff and Plymouth, have probably found their level. League One betting: The other Hatters to enjoy success too If we're backing Luton to win the league, then it's worth looking at Huddersfield to be promoted. They finished 10th last season and lost eight of their last 10 matches under caretaker manager Jon Worthington. He replaced Michael Duff, who was sacked in March after they suffered their fourth defeat in five and dropped out of the play-off places with 10 games of the season to go. The club has been bold in their new direction, appointing Lee Grant as their new boss on a three-year deal. Although highly experienced as a coach, this is his first managerial appointment, but he did spend the last three years working under Kieran McKenna at Ipswich. He might have been a goalkeeper, but based on the signings he's made, he wants to play attacking football, and they have a real goal threat in their side. They have made 11 signings so far, but the real stand-out arrivals are USA international winger Lyndon Gooch, who arrives from Stoke City on a three-year contract and striker Alfie May, who joined for an undisclosed fee from Birmingham. The 32-year-old scored 16 goals for the Blues last season as they won the League One title, so we know what he is capable of at this level. Betting sites are offering 9/4 on them to achieve promotion, either automatically or via the play-offs. A dark horse for promotion could be Stockport County, who were beaten in the Play-Off semi-finals last season. Manager Dave Challinor took them from the National League up to League One and only finished five points behind Wrexham, who finished second last season. The club has held on to their highly rated manager, after he was linked with a lot of vacancies over the summer, and persuaded him to sign a new three-year deal. They have also smashed their transfer record to sign striker Malik Mothersille from Peterborough on a three-year deal. He scored 16 goals in 57 appearances for Posh last season and is believed to have cost more than the £800,000 the club paid for Ian Thomas-Moore in 1998. They were the joint second-highest scorers in the league last season, behind just Birmingham, so it's clear to see their attacking intent. League One tips: What a load of Cobblers I don't think anyone is underestimating the enormity of the job AFC Wimbledon have on their hands to stay in League One, but to be evens to be relegated seems harsh. They beat Walsall in the League 2 Play-Off final in May to return to the third tier after a three-year absence. They finished fifth in the table, just five points behind the third automatic promotion place, but they were 11 behind the champions, Doncaster Rovers. They kick off their campaign with a baptism of fire as they face highly fancied Luton Town at Kenilworth Road, and they will be hoping to catch them cold. One big concern for them is a lack of goals; they only scored 56 goals on their way to promotion, which was by far the lowest of the teams around them. They are not helped in their cause by the fact that forward Osman Foyo has been charged by the Football Association with breaching betting rules, so could be facing a lengthy ban. James Tilley, 27, is the only forward who has come into the club, and he has scored just 32 senior goals. Based on the research, it's clear to see why they are the favourites, and it could be a long season for Wombles fans. Another team who are expected to be down there next season are Northampton Town, who only narrowly avoided relegation in May, by five points. They won just two of their last 10 matches, and manager Kevin Nolan has won just seven of the 25 games he has been in charge of since replacing Jon Brady in December. A price of 11/8 on betting apps is not one to overlook here. League 1 relegation prediction: Northampton to be relegated - 11/8 Bet365 League One betting tips: May to be celebrating in May It's no surprise that new Huddersfield striker Alfie May is favourite to finish as top scorer at odds of 11/2, after all, he scored 16 goals in this league last season, from just 27 starts. But will he get the service he enjoyed at Birmingham? The Blues were the leading scorers in the league with 84 goals in their 46 games, but May did finish just three behind Jay Stansfield, who cost £15m. Two seasons ago, he netted 27 goals at this level for Charlton and 22 the season before and 26 in 2021/22, so we can expect 20+ if he is playing week in week out. We have also already mentioned Malik Mothersille, who also scored 16 goals last season, although only 12 were in the League, and the other four helped Peterborough win the EFL Trophy. We know Stockport will score goals, so expect his numbers to go up, and you can get 25/1 on him finishing top scorer, so he could be a good outside shout for a bet online. Please gamble responsibly When having a bet, it's vital to practice responsible gambling. Betting can be addictive and it's important to stay in control of your betting. Never treat gambling as a way to make money, never bet more than you can afford and when the fun stops, stop. Gambling sites offer punters tools, like deposit limits, profit and loss trackers and self-exclusion options, to help them stay in control. But if you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don't hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store