After personally congratulating British tennis sensation Arthur Fery on his historic Wimbledon run, the Princess of Wales has fueled fresh speculation that royal fans may not have seen the last of her at this year's Championships.
The Princess of Wales has once again become one of the biggest talking points at Wimbledon, this time without even stepping onto the grounds.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesJust days after making an unannounced appearance that delighted tennis fans, Princess Kate took to social media on Wednesday, July 8, to send a personal message to British wildcard Arthur Fery following his historic run to the Gentlemen's Singles semifinals.
Signing off with her personal initial, "C," alongside a tennis ball emoji, the future queen wrote: "A memorable day at @Wimbledon. Congratulations to Arthur Fery on becoming the first British wildcard to reach the Gentleman's Singles semi-finals in the Open Era, a fantastic achievement that has inspired so many. Wishing you the very best for the next round. C."
© VisionhausThe message immediately caught the attention of royal watchers, many of whom believe it could be another sign that Kate is preparing to return to Wimbledon before the tournament comes to a close.
Her message carried extra meaning:
Kate's congratulations were especially significant because she had already watched Fery compete earlier in the tournament during one of the most unexpected royal appearances Wimbledon has seen in years.
© Karwai TangOn July 2, the Princess of Wales surprised fans by skipping the traditional Royal Box and instead heading straight to the famous Wimbledon Queue, where she chatted with spectators, posed for selfies, handed out tickets, and even stepped behind the ticket office counter to help process card payments.
She then took a seat in the regular stands on Court 18 to watch Fery's match before later joining tennis legend Andy Murray on Court 1 to watch fellow Brit Katie Swan.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesAfterward, Fery admitted he had no idea the Princess was watching him. "I probably would have been a bit more tight," he joked during a courtside interview after learning that royalty had been sitting in the crowd.
Kate completed the memorable visit wearing a sky-blue linen pantsuit by Gabriela Hearst and later appeared in Wimbledon's behind-the-scenes "Overheard at Wimbledon: Royal Special" video, where she discussed everything from the iconic grass courts to her recent National Three Peaks Challenge fundraising effort.
Will Princess Kate make another surprise appearance?
Kate's unexpected Day 4 visit broke with many of her usual Wimbledon traditions, making it difficult to predict exactly when royal fans will see her next.
As patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, she has complete flexibility over her schedule, and Kensington Palace typically does not confirm her attendance ahead of time.
© WireImageWhile the women's semifinals take place on Thursday, July 9, and the men's semifinals on Friday, July 10, the Princess of Wales has traditionally focused on the tournament's biggest moments by attending the singles finals.
Royal experts therefore expect her to return over finals weekend, when she is anticipated to present the championship trophies following both the Women's Singles Final on Saturday, July 11, and the Men's Singles Final on Sunday, July 12.
© Simon M BrutyStill, after surprising everyone once already by working the ticket lines and sitting among spectators instead of watching from the Royal Box, many believe another unexpected appearance cannot be ruled out.
For now, one thing is certain, all eyes will once again be on the Royal Box this weekend, where fans will be watching just as closely for the arrival of the Princess of Wales as they will for the championship matches themselves.
