Although the surgery was successful, the Princess of Wales now faces heartbreaking news about her cancer chemotherapy journey. Her father, Michael Middleton, grapples with emotions alongside his wife, Carole. The weight of these events is evident in his demeanor. This raises important questions about whether Princess Catherine will attend Wimbledon as the tournament moves towards the finals. Will Prince William join her? Kensington Palace hasn't provided answers to these questions yet.
However, the Princess's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, made their second appearance at Wimbledon this week, stirring speculation about the future Queen's return to the public eye. The Middletons are known to attend the event most years and made their debut at this year's competition on July 4. The Princess's parents sat in the front row of the Royal Box, seated beside All-England Club Chair Debbie Jevans. In June, Jevans mentioned that organizers would give the Princess of Wales as much flexibility as possible regarding the possibility of presenting trophies at Wimbledon amid her cancer treatment.
Many online royal watchers still hold hope that the Princess will deliver the trophies. The hopes are balanced as Catherine has a 50-50 chance of making her customary appearance at Wimbledon this week, with a decision set to be made late in the day. A source noted, "It's a 50/50 chance. Trooping the Colour was very last minute that she would appear. It depends on how she feels that day or the night before. She could possibly surprise us by giving out the awards. Tennis is her thing, and I am sure she has been watching it at home. It would be great to see her there."
Her parents and other royal attendance have certainly raised expectations. What do you think if Catherine makes a surprise appearance at Wimbledon this year? Write in the comments and let us know your thoughts.
After Catherine made her first post-cancer diagnosis appearance at King Charles III's birthday parade on June 15, 2024, speculations quickly arose about when the public would see her again. Wimbledon now stands as the next potential public appearance, though it remains uncertain as Catherine takes each day as it comes. A source mentioned that William probably won't be by her side, as it has not yet been decided, and they'll wait to see if she's feeling up to it. "But she wouldn’t go with William; Wimbledon is just a Kate thing," they said.
Wimbledon is indeed a "Kate thing," and she has been seen multiple times throughout the tournament. The Princess made three Wimbledon appearances in 2023 but has also been spotted in the Royal Box at Center Court with William. The Prince and Princess of Wales have attended the court together multiple times over the years, occasionally with Prince George and Princess Charlotte in tow.
Meanwhile, the Wimbledon finals overlap with the Euro soccer finals. William, a big fan and the President of the Football Association, may travel to Berlin, Germany, if Team England wins the semifinal on July 10, 2024, and progresses to the final on July 14, 2024. This means if England wins and Catherine goes to Wimbledon, she could find herself handing out trophies over the weekend while William cheers on Team England in Germany.
With uncertainty over whether the royal mother of three will make her appearance at Wimbledon, the British press has begun to speculate on possible measures to be taken by the tournament organizers and the British royal house itself ahead of the final. In case Prince William's wife does not appear at Wimbledon, the person in charge of presenting the trophies will be Duchess Birgitte of Gloucester. Prince Richard's wife is an active royal and maintains a close relationship with Queen Camilla. She has been seen accompanying her at several events in recent months.
Prince Richard is a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and is directly related to both King Charles III and his children. The connection between the Duchess of Gloucester and Queen Camilla is evident, and she would be in charge of presenting the trophies at the Wimbledon final in Catherine's absence. Given her strong ties to the tennis world and the UK for more than two decades, the Duchess of Gloucester has been spotted at the tennis tournament alongside her family. The press agrees that there is no better figure within or close to the British royal family to take on this important role.
