Here come the girls! Wasn’t Sunday quite a sight?
The Princess of Wales on Centre Court at Wimbledon, flanked by her younger sister, Pippa, and her daughter, Charlotte. Charlie’s Angels. Kate’s first solo engagement since announcing her cancer diagnosis.
It was like the Spice Girls had reunited and staged a comeback.
Kate with her younger sister, Pippa, and her daughter, Charlotte, at Wimbledon on Sunday
The greatest boost to the national psyche was seeing the princess at her best: smiling, elegant and gentle, writes Liz Jones.
Female power amid a whirlwind of testosterone, with the men’s singles final about to begin and the football final later that night.
We know what Kate was wearing: the Cecilia midi dress by Safiyaa of London. The LK Bennett bag. The Victoria Beckham sunglasses. All of which provided a much-needed boost to our economy. Oh my! Even Charlotte’s sunglasses sparked a shopping spree.
By Monday morning, desperate moms were already on social media asking for details while their daughters clamored for a pair (they were Ray-Bans, by the way).
But the greatest boost to the national psyche was seeing the princess at her best: smiling, elegant and gentle.
A-list celebrities including Tom Cruise, Benedict Cumberbatch and Julia Roberts joined the standing ovation from the 15,000 Wimbledon crowd on her arrival.
I can’t think of anyone who could elicit such a genuinely warm response or make so many celebrities crane their necks.
Not Taylor Swift, who is too omnipresent, and not Meghan, who is too divisive.
The applause was a release of tension, a collective sigh of relief that Kate is okay and all is right with the world. And, also, a very clear sign that they really love her.
My favorite photos of the day weren’t the action shots taken on the court, but the ones showing Pippa and Charlotte looking at Kate in wonder and admiration.
The sister and daughter seemed very proud and grateful to be there as silent moral support. Charlotte is said to have been a great comfort during her mother’s treatment.
Charlotte is said to have been a great comfort during her mother’s treatment.
A-list celebrities Tom Cruise and Benedict Cumberbatch at the Wimbledon final on Centre Court
Sisters and mothers around the world would have given each other extra hugs upon seeing these three girls.
This vision of Kate – the dimples, the easy smile, the auburn hair, the animated chatter with the ball boys at the awards ceremony (what on earth does she say? How does she never seem bored?) – was like the sun rising at a dark and confusing time.
Kate’s appearance on Sunday may have seemed like fun to some. A simple ride from the limousine to the royal box seat. No ticket needed, no parking and no queueing.
But who would want to have so much exposure after such a difficult few months?
The bravery he showed by simply showing up was off the charts.
And to rise to the occasion with such grace, with such charm, required a courage that reminded me of the late Queen Mother emerging from the rubble of the East End during the Blitz.
Kate knew her job was to be there, to be elegant and stoic in a difficult moment, wearing purple, a colour that is both royal and very Wimbledon-esque.
We needed to see it and cling to it like a rubber float in the middle of a tsunami.
The photo she posted of Charlotte and little Louis in their England shirts watching the Euro final later that night was low-key. Nothing was overdone.
It was normal. And my God, we need normality right now.
This is the hardest job in the world. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Kate cannot appear tired, badly dressed, wrinkled, angry, impatient, or anything less than cheerful. She cannot show her cracks.
The late Queen Elizabeth knew this. Today, eagle-eyed social media warriors exploit any chink in the armour.
Kate’s appearance on Sunday, so cheerful in this wet and cold summer, served to remind us how much we have missed her.
The silhouette, the genuine smile.
If she can do this, so can we. We can get out of bed, breathe in and out, get dressed, show up, try to look our best, and get on with it.
Kate killed it and so can we.
