Latest news with #OurWimbledon
Daily Mirror
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Kate misses huge Wimbledon moment despite 'pleading' to attend
While the Princess of Wales has long been an avid lover of the annual tennis tournament, there was one year she wasn't allowed to attend after being 'banned' from making an appearance in the royal box Princess Kate has long been an avid lover and supporter of Wimbledon, attending the annual tennis tournament numerous times over the years. While many royal spectators are hoping to catch a glimpse of the Princess of Wales this weekend for the finals, there have been a handful of times Kate has missed out on the action at SW19. While Kate managed to make it to Wimbledon last year for the men's final despite still being in recovery from her cancer treatment, there was one year that she was stopped from attending the tournament, despite her pleas to watch on from the royal box. During the tournament in 2013, the Princess was desperate to make it to the men's singles final that saw Sir Andy Murray gunning to become the first British man to win the Grand Slam since Fred Perry in 1936, as he claimed the win in a stunning showdown against Novak Djokovic. Kate was very eager to watch the match from courtside at Wimbledon, but as she was heavily pregnant with Prince George at the time, was advised not to attend and to watch the match from home instead. Recalling the year she was forced to sit out of the action for the BBC documentary Our Wimbledon, Kate told sports host Sue Barker: "I was very heavily pregnant with George so I wasn't able to turn up." Sue replied: "But you had a great excuse!" to which Kate said: "I know but even still." "I was sort of 'Maybe I could go' but the doctors were like 'no.' I wrote to [Andy Murray] afterwards saying sorry for not being there, but huge congratulations." Kate gave birth to Prince George on July 22nd 2013 - just two weeks after the epic Wimbledon showdown. Luckily for Kate, Andy Murray made the finals again three years later in 2016, and was able to attend in person, alongside Prince William, to see him lift the trophy after another winning performance. Meeting Murray after his match, Kate said: "Many congratulations; it was a great game." While William said: "So pleased for you, well done", and Kate added: "You can relax with your family now." Andy Murray retired from professional tennis in 2024, as Kate sent the Scottish champion a message of support after he missed out on a final match at Wimbledon before his retirement. Murray was due to play mixed doubles with Emma Raducanu last Saturday evening but the former US Open champion pulled out of the clash earlier in the day, citing stiffness in her right wrist. In a personally-signed message on social media, Kate wrote: "An incredible #Wimbledon career comes to an end. You should be so very proud @andy_murray. On behalf of all of us, thank you! C."
Daily Mirror
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Kate left 'mortified' after dad's embarrassing Wimbledon gaffe
The Middletons are known to love a spot of tennis, with the family enjoying trips to Wimbledon each year. But not everything went according to plan one year, when Kate was 'mortified' by her dad's embarrassing courtside mistake The Princess of Wales has a long history with Wimbledon as an avid tennis fan, with her family even joining her in the royal box for the yearly event. This year, Kate's parents Carole and Michael attended Wimbledon solo, as they rubbed shoulders with royals and celebrities alike while watching on from the royal box. While Kate has yet to make an appearance at SW19 this year, she has often attended the tennis tournament in years past, with her sister, parents and children by her side. And while each Wimbledon is memorable in its own rite, there was one particular year that things quickly went south for the princess. In a 2017 BBC documentary called Our Wimbledon presented by sports host Sue Barker, Princess Kate recalled the year she was left 'mortified' by her father's courtside gaffe. Kate told Sue how her dad tried to play it cool in front of the former British number one tennis player Tim Henman, as she explained: "My father is not going to appreciate this, but we were walking past Tim Henman and we had just seen [Pete] Sampras play. My dad said very coolly: 'Hi Pete'. I was mortified!" Kate has attended Wimbledon with her parents several times, and was spotted taking part in a Mexican wave with her father at the 2021 tournament. When the Princess of Wales attended with her parents in 2022, she was seen blowing a kiss and waving to her parents, who were sitting elsewhere in the Centre Court's royal box. Carole and Michael Middleton attended Wimbledon today without Princess Kate by their side, as they watched the championships' quarter finals action, including Novak Djokovic taking on Alex de Minaur. The Middletons were joined in the royal box by tennis legend Roger Federer, who Kate once revealed that her mother fancied, as well as Roger's wife Mirka. In the same 2017 Wimbledon documentary, Kate revealed her mother's secret crush on the Swiss tennis champion, admitting: "Roger [Federer] is my mother's heartthrob. I don't think she will mind me saying that! I think he probably knows that too." Joining the Middletons in the Royal Box today was the Duchess of Edinburgh, who arrived at Wimbledon just hours after attending a solemn service at St Paul's Cathedral this morning to mark the 20th anniversary of the London 7/7 bombings. Other notable names spotted at Wimbledon today include comedians Sir Lenny Henry and Michael McIntyre as well as England cricketers Sir James Anderson and Joe Root. Broadcaster Gabby Logan was another famous face spotted at the grounds of the tournament on Monday.
Daily Record
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Kate Middleton left 'mortified' over dad's remark to British tennis icon at Wimbledon
Kate Middleton has revealed the embarrassing encounter between her father Michael Middleton and a huge tennis star at the tournament which left her red faced. Kate Middleton is known to be a huge lover of tennis and is a regular spectator in the Wimbledon royal box. As patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club since 2016, the Princess of Wales attends the annual sporting event each year and traditionally presents trophies to the Wimbledon champions. In addition to this, Kate usually serves some of the most iconic outfits on the courts with fans waiting in anticipation to see which fashionable looks she will wear during her appearances at the 2025 tournament this week. While Kate's presence at Wimbledon is considered to be an important addition to the event, the mum-of-three has confessed that she was previously left absolutely "mortified" by a comment her father Michael Middleton made while he attended the prestigious tournament. The Middleton family have all made it clear they are big fans on Wimbledon on multiple occasions. However Kate, 43, previously recalled an embarrassing experience with her father that left her pink faced at the 2017 BBC documentary Our Wimbledon hosted by Sue Barker. During her work on the 2017 BBC One documentary 'Our Wimbledon', the BBC broadcaster travelled around the globe to discover what makes the All England Club grass so special for tennis lovers. During her research, she interviewed Kate who shared the embarrassing incident with her father which had happened years before she married Prince William. During the interview, the future Queen explained how her dad had tried and failed to stay cool when they crossed paths with former British number one tennis player Tim Henman. Unfortunately, her dad Michael made a huge blunder during the moment and confused Henman with 14-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras. Kate told Barker: "My father is not going to appreciate this, but we were walking past Tim Henman and we had just seen Pete Sampras play. My dad said very coolly: 'Hi Pete'. I was mortified!" Barker recounted the tale in her 2024 book, ' Wimbledon: A Personal History ', which provides her views on the major tournament, from her days as a junior competitor to her retirement from broadcasting over half a century later in 2022. The BBC broadcaster, 69, wrote: 'During the filming of my Our Wimbledon documentary, I interviewed both the Duke of Kent and Catherine, now Princess of Wales. 'Catherine was so lovely to talk to too. I waited in a room in Kensington Palace with producer Carl Doran and the camera crew. 'We were all a bit on edge and then in she came and put us all at ease, even saying she was a bit nervous as she hadn't given many interviews. (I'm sure she said that to make me feel better.) 'She was a natural in front of the camera and what came across in the interview was her obvious love for the game from an early age. 'Tennis is a family passion and the Middletons came to queue and watch Wimbledon most years. She told me how mortified she was when her father once mistook Tim Henman for Pete Sampras." Thankfully since that embarrassing encounter, Kate has had plenty more opportunities to meet Henman and rectify her dad's past blunder. As a regular attendee of high-profile matches, she is often seen sitting in the Royal Box and even made an unexpected appearance last year amid her cancer treatment. Kate also presents the tournament's finalists with their trophies, the most recent recipient being men's singles champion Carlos Alcaraz in 2024.
Daily Mirror
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Kate Middleton 'mortified' by Tim Henman's Wimbledon encounter with her dad
Avid tennis fan Kate Middleton endured a cringeworthy moment at Wimbledon long before marrying Prince William, after her father's comment to British tennis star Tim Henman Sue Barker's illustrious broadcasting career with the BBC placed her at the heart of all the action for almost three decades. The former French Open champion's iconic role gave her the opportunity to interview a host of big names, from sports stars to members of the royal family. During her work on the 2017 BBC One documentary 'Our Wimbledon', Barker travelled around the world to discover what makes the All England Club grass so special for tennis lovers. That journey resulted in interviews with the Duke of Kent and Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, who is a known tennis fan and is often spotted in the SW19 stands with her family. In the latter interview, Princess Kate shared an embarrassing incident from years ago, before she had married Prince William. She revealed how her father, Michael Middleton, once approached British tennis icon Tim Henman, confusing him with 14-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras. Barker recounted the tale in her 2024 book, ' Wimbledon: A Personal History ', which provides her perspective on the major tournament, from her days as a junior competitor to her retirement from broadcasting over half a century later in 2022. The 69-year-old wrote: 'During the filming of my Our Wimbledon documentary, I interviewed both the Duke of Kent and Catherine, now Princess of Wales. 'Catherine was so lovely to talk to too. I waited in a room in Kensington Palace with producer Carl Doran and the camera crew. 'We were all a bit on edge and then in she came and put us all at ease, even saying she was a bit nervous as she hadn't given many interviews. (I'm sure she said that to make me feel better.) 'She was a natural in front of the camera and what came across in the interview was her obvious love for the game from an early age. 'Tennis is a family passion and the Middletons came to queue and watch Wimbledon most years. She told me how mortified she was when her father once mistook Tim Henman for Pete Sampras. ''My father is not going to appreciate this, but we were walking past Tim Henman and we had just seen Sampras play. And dad said very coolly, 'Hi Pete.' I was mortified!'' Since that embarrassing encounter, Princess Kate has had plenty of opportunities to meet Henman and rectify her father's past mishap. As a regular attendee of high-profile matches, she is often seen sitting in the Royal Box. The Princess also presents the tournament's finalists with their trophies, the most recent recipient being men's singles champion Carlos Alcaraz in 2024.
Mint
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Kate Middleton reveals awkward run-in between her dad and Tim Henman at Wimbledon
Wimbledon is one of Kate Middleton's favourite summer events. She's attended the Grand Slam for years. But during one of her earlier visits, she had a moment she still laughs and cringes about. Kate, now 43, spoke about it in a 2017 BBC documentary, Our Wimbledon. It was a funny memory involving her dad, tennis legend Tim Henman, and a small but awkward mix-up. 'My father is not going to appreciate this,' she said in the interview. 'But we were walking past Tim Henman and we had just seen Pete Sampras play.' That's when her dad turned to Henman and said, 'Hi Pete.' 'I was mortified,' Kate said, laughing. According to Hello Magazine, Kate has been a regular at Wimbledon for years. As the royal patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, she often watches from the Royal Box. She usually goes with Prince William. Sometimes, she brings their kids along too. Prince George and Princess Charlotte have already attended matches. Their younger brother, Prince Louis, hasn't yet - but he's a big fan at home. Kate once said he likes pretending to be a ball boy. Her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, also enjoy the sport. They've been seen at Wimbledon many times. Despite the Henman blunder, Kate and her dad remain very close. Michael Middleton still joins her at Wimbledon now and then. In 2021, they were seen laughing together and taking part in a Mexican wave, reported Hello Magazine. It's clear Kate inherited her love for tennis from her family. She's also passed that love on to her own children. She's said many times how much the sport means to her. Kate has even played tennis on camera before. She once joined Emma Raducanu for a friendly match during a youth event in London. Wimbledon 2025 starts on June 30. It runs for two weeks. Kate is expected to attend, but her schedule hasn't been confirmed. She usually presents the trophies to the champions. Fans are also curious if any of the royal kids will be with her. George and Charlotte have already made appearances. Many are hoping Louis might make his Wimbledon debut this year. For now, fans are just happy to hear Kate share such a funny, honest story. It's not every day a royal admits to being 'mortified' by their dad - even if it's in the Royal Box. She recalled her dad mistakenly greeting Tim Henman as 'Pete,' confusing him with Pete Sampras. Yes, she's a regular attendee and has often presented trophies at the finals. It's not confirmed, but Louis has yet to make his debut at the tournament.
