In what was only her second official public appearance since announcing she has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing preventative treatment, Princess Kate arrived at Wimbledon to a standing ovation from a delighted and emotional crowd.
The Princess of Wales attended the men's final alongside her daughter, Princess Charlotte, and her sister, Pippa Middleton Matthews. Her husband, Prince William, was not by his wife's side and noticeably missing from the iconic tennis tournament, leaving many royal fans and spectators to wonder why Prince William was not at Wimbledon this year.
Turns out, the Prince of Wales was busy upholding his duty as the president of the Football Association—the royal traveled to Germany the same day, July 14, to attend the Euro 2024 championship match between England and Spain.
Middleton's attendance at this year's Wimbledon Championships was something of a looming question mark—Kensington Palace didn't confirm the royal would be present at the tournament until Saturday, July 13. Previous reports indicated that Prince William would ultimately be the one to decide whether or not it was appropriate and safe for his wife to appear in public.
“William controls this household, and William will decide whether she’s well enough to do this, because he’s the one that protects the family—fiercely,” former royal butler Paul Burrell—who worked for the royal family for 21 years—recently told The Sun. “There’s no way he’s going to subject Kate to intrusion that she can’t handle.”
Burrell went on to say that while the Princess of Wales certainly knew that "the world will want to see her,” the decision to appear or not in public would come down to Prince William, who is “fiercely protective” and “will decide whether she’s fit enough.”
Apparently, Prince William ultimately decided it was safe enough for his wife to attend in person.
Back in April, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told The Sun that “William has never been more protective of his wife and children as now" and as a result of Middleton's cancer diagnosis and ongoing treatment.
“He is taking special care to prioritize her health and the welfare of his young family, even in the face of some people saying he should be taking on more public engagements," Bond told the publication at the time. "William can be stubborn, and perhaps never more so than when it comes to his family and their privacy.”
To mark her surprise return to Wimbledon, Middleton certainly dressed for the occasion in a regal-looking, purple Safiyaa dress featuring a ruched bodice and softly flared skirt. The purple dress no-doubt paid homage to her beloved Wimbledon tournament—not only is purple a historically regal color adorned by centuries of monarchs, it is also closely associated with Wimbledon and its iconic purple and green logo.
While Prince William was not in attendance alongside his wife, Princess Charlotte and Pippa Middleton Matthews did appear alongside the Princess of Wales during the tournament. As Middleton received a standing ovation from the adoring crowd, her daughter, Princess Charlotte, looked up at her mom, beaming with pride.
