His presence would generate more excitement among the Wimbledon crowd than the time a royal played at the tournament in 1926. That was when King Charles’ grandfather, George VI, competed in the men’s doubles tournament alongside his friend and mentor Sir Louis Greig.
And there is growing hope that the Princess of Wales may be able to attend the Championships this weekend to present the trophies after the finals.
Of course, Catherine’s attendance was a given in previous years. As a patron of the All England Club since 2016, she has become as synonymous with Wimbledon as strawberries and cream.
Kate attending the quarter-final match between Andy Murray and David Ferrer in 2012
Last year at Wimbledon, she was sporting a lime green jacket and large, stylish sunglasses before being told she had cancer.
As a keen tennis player and family friend of former Wimbledon star Tim Henman, the Princess has always relished the opportunity to watch matches from the Royal Box.
This year is different, of course. He hasn’t been able to visit due to his ongoing cancer treatment, and it may not be a coincidence that spectator numbers are down too. While fans go for the tennis, there’s nothing like seeing royalty to boost ticket sales.
So it’s no surprise that fans are eager to find out if Catherine can make it to the Wimbledon final.
But the speculation has, almost inevitably, sparked a series of nasty comments from the so-called Sussex Squad – those obsessive online fans of Prince Harry and Meghan who delight in criticising other members of the Royal Family.
His main point is that Catherine should not attend a sporting event when she has not been able to fulfill more serious public commitments.
They claim, without any evidence, that this would “prove” she had not been ill at all. This is the kind of deeply unpleasant harassment that the princess, like other royals, has to endure on a daily basis.
Before appearing in the King’s Birthday Parade, as the show is formally known, last month, the princess said she hoped to “take part in some public engagements over the summer.”
Kate with Meghan Markle at the 2018 tennis championship before the royal family split
Holding the winner’s trophy after the men’s singles final at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships
However, he stressed that he has had “good days and bad days” and that he is “not out of the woods yet.”
“Anyone going through chemotherapy will know this,” she said in a moving statement. “On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to let your body rest.”
“But on good days, when you’re feeling stronger, you want to make the most of feeling good.”
Let’s hope she has a good couple of days this weekend and can make the tournament stand out with her presence. Although yesterday we saw Queen Camilla in attendance with her sister, Annabel Elliot, and other days we saw other members of the Windsor family, such as Zara Tindall and Princess Beatrice, among the spectators, the royal box has lacked the winning touch that Catherine brings.
You should ignore the vicious nonsense of the trolls. Most sensible people would understand that while you may not be well enough to undertake more arduous tasks, a relaxing day at the tennis court could be the perfect tonic to lift your spirits and help you recover.
Not only would it be an advantage for Catherine, but it would also lift the spirits of the nation.
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