Game. Set. Glamour. The Princess of Wales made a stylish return to Wimbledon on Saturday, attending the ladies' singles final between the United States' Amanda Anisimova and Poland's Iga Świątek. Catherine stunned for her first appearance at the tournament this year wearing an elegant white ensemble.
The Princess has been patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, where Wimbledon is held, since 2016—but was a Wimbledon fan long before marrying into the British royal family.
In the 2017 BBC documentary Sue Barker: Our Wimbledon, Catherine said, “I have watched Wimbledon, that was very much part of my growing up. It's such a quintessential part of the English summer, and I think it really inspires youngsters, myself, it inspired me, when I was younger to get involved in the game. It hasn't changed either, I think that's what's so wonderful.”
The Princess also said in the documentary that "being able to go into Wimbledon and be part of what is so amazing there, the atmosphere, is incredible, whether you're sitting on Henman Hill or are fortunate enough to be in one of the Center Courts," adding, "Every time Wimbledon is on I am thinking, 'Yes, I could do the same' and get out the racket. Sadly, never the same results."
The Princess of Wales, accompanied by her daughter Princess Charlotte and sister Pippa Middleton, attended last year's final match between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. Catherine, who was undergoing a course of preventative chemotherapy at the time, received a standing ovation as she entered the Royal Box at Centre Court. It marked the Princess' second official public appearance that year. Her Royal Highness, who announced last September that she had completed her chemotherapy treatment, recently opened up about her post-treatment phase during a visit to the RHS Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital.
"You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment. Treatment's done, then it's like, 'I can crack on, get back to normal,' but actually, the phase afterwards is really, really difficult," Catherine shared, via PEOPLE.
"You're not necessarily under the clinical team any longer, but you're not able to function normally at home as you perhaps once used to," the Princess of Wales continued. "And actually, someone to help talk you through that, show you and guide you through that sort of phase that comes after treatment, I think is really valuable."
Catherine also noted that it "takes time" to "find your new normal," describing it as a "roller coaster, it's not smooth, like you expect it to be." The Princess of Wales said, "But the reality is you go through hard times."