Kate, Princess of Wales, is at Wimbledon in a rare public appearance since revealing she has cancer
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LONDON — Kate, the Princess of Wales, handed Carlos Alcaraz the champion’s trophy after the Wimbledon men’s final at the All England Club on Sunday in only her second public appearance since announcing she was diagnosed with cancer.
Kate, wife of heir to the throne Prince William, was greeted by a standing ovation when she arrived in the Royal Box at Centre Court to watch Alcaraz’s victory over Novak Djokovic. After leaving the court following the trophy ceremony, the princess and Alcaraz had a conversation in a room inside the tournament’s main stadium.
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Kate, Princess of Wales, is at Wimbledon in a rare public appearance since revealing she has cancer Back to video
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“You played so well,” Kate told him. “Enjoy the win.”
Earlier, Kate — wearing a purple dress, one of Wimbledon’s official colours — went from the stands down to the playing surface to present the trophies, part of her duties as patron of the All England Club, which hosts the annual tournament.
She shook hands with some of the ball kids who worked at the tournament, then exchanged words with both players and applauded for Alcaraz after giving him the winner’s trophy for the second year in a row.
“It was, of course, a privilege to be in her presence again. I’ve said to her that it is very nice to see her in good health; she seems to be in good health,” Djokovic said at his postmatch news conference. “That’s obviously very positive news for everyone in this country, but also for Wimbledon.”
Kate and her 9-year-old daughter, Princess Charlotte, got to the site of the grass-court Grand Slam tournament in southwest London in a motorcade about a half-hour before the final was scheduled to begin. They went to a terrace at the club that is connected to the main stadium by a pedestrian walkway and greeted several people, including 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu and other young British tennis players.
Also in the Royal Box for the final were Kate’s sister, Pippa Matthews, actors Tom Cruise and Benedict Cumberbatch and several past Wimbledon champions, including Rod Laver, Andre Agassi and Stefan Edberg.
Since 2016, Kate has been the patron of the All England Club. She did not attend Saturday when Barbora Krejcikova defeated Jasmine Paolini for the women’s title.
Kate, Princess of Wales prepares to give the winner's trophy to Spain's Carlos Alcaraz following his victory against Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their men's singles final tennis match on the fourteenth day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 14, 2024. Photo by BEN STANSALL /AFP via Getty Images
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain reacts after receiving his trophy from Kate, Princess of Wales after defeating Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the men's singles final at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 14, 2024.Photo by Alberto Pezzali /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kate, Princess of Wales, Patron of The AELTC interacts with ball kids following Carlos Alcaraz of Spain's victory against Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the Gentlemen's Singles Final during day fourteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14, 2024 in London, England.Photo by Clive Brunskill /Getty Images
Kate, Princess of Wales, Patron of The AELTC, presents the Gentlemen's Singles Trophy to Carlos Alcaraz of Spain following his victory against Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the Gentlemen's Singles Final during day fourteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14, 2024 in London, England.Photo by Francois Nel /Getty Images
Kate, Princess of Wales, Patron of The AELTC interacts with ball kids following Carlos Alcaraz of Spain's victory against Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the Gentlemen's Singles Final during day fourteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14, 2024 in London, England.Photo by Julian Finney /Getty Images
Kate, Princess of Wales waves as she makes her way to Center Court ahead of the men's singles final at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 14, 2024.Photo by Alberto Pezzali /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kate, Princess of Wales waves to the crowd from the Royal Box, with her daughter Princess Charlotte, and her sister Pippa Matthews, left, looks on ahead of the men's singles final at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 14, 2024.Photo by Mosa'ab Elshamy /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kate, Princess of Wales, centre, and her daughter Princess Charlotte, left, watch the men's singles final between Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia, from the Royal Box at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 14, 2024. Photo by Mosa'ab Elshamy /AP Photo
Princess Charlotte picks her nose as she sits with Catherine, Princess of Wales, Patron of The AELTC in the Royal Box during the Gentlemen's Singles Final between Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during day fourteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14, 2024 in London, England.Photo by Clive Brunskill /Getty Images
Kate, Princess of Wales (2nd L) and Princess Charlotte (2nd L) meet Flora Johnson (C) during a visit to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, south west London, on day fourteen of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships on July 14, 2024 in London, England. Photo by Aaron Chown - WPA Pool /Getty Images
Kate, the Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte arrive to attend the men's singles final match, at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 14, 2024.Photo by Aaron Chown /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Kate revealed in March that she has an unspecified form of cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy. Her lone public appearance since then had been attending last month’s birthday parade for King Charles III. Before that event, she released a statement saying she was “making good progress” but still had “good days and bad days.”
Prince William has been a regular at Wimbledon finals but was not there Sunday. Instead, he planned to be in Germany to watch England face Spain in the final of the men’s soccer European Championship. He is the president of the English Football Association.
Queen Camilla, wife of King Charles III, visited Wimbledon on Wednesday.
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