The Princess of Wales is patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/princess-of-wales-wimbledon-070226-8-706245a306554b6183dd06d6ec4234b5.jpg "Catherine, Princess of Wales waves as she attends on day four of The Championships Wimbledon 2026")
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NEED TO KNOW
- Kate Middleton made her debut at the 2026 Wimbledon Championships on Thursday, July 2, looking lovely in a bright blue pantsuit
- The Princess of Wales, 44, attended Wimbledon’s finals in 2024 and 2025, amid and after treatment for cancer
- Princess Kate has been the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club since 2016, succeeding Queen Elizabeth in the role
Kate Middleton is back at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships!
In a return to tradition, the Princess of Wales, 44, headed to the All England Club on Thursday, July 2, where she looked summery in a bright blue pantsuit with her brunette hair tied back into a slick ponytail.
Kate delighted fans by starting her engagement with a visit to Wimbledon's infamous queue, where she met tennis fans who had camped out in the hopes of securing a prestigious ticket to one of the tournament's games.
The mom of three also met with AELTC's Honorary Stewards, who volunteer each year to manage the queue and welcome guests as they arrive at the Championships.
Credit: Andrew Matthews – WPA Pool/Getty
During her time at the Championships, the royal will also meet with children from Shine Camera Club, a creative photography program that helps children from disadvantaged backgrounds develop their photography confidence.
A keen photographer herself, Kate joined the children who were taking photographs of the tennis and also learned about the important work the charity does.
Of course, no trip to Wimbledon would be complete without taking in some tennis, and the royal is expected to watch a game on one of the All England Club's outer courts later in the afternoon.
Credit: Andrew Matthews – WPA Pool/Getty
Princess Kate is an avid tennis player and the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, where Wimbledon has been held since the championships' inception in the 1870s.
The 2026 championships began on Monday, June 29 and are due to conclude with the women's and men's finals on Sunday, July 12.
Kate has attended Wimbledon almost every year since marrying Prince William in 2011 and has been the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club since 2016.
Credit: Karwai Tang/WireImage
She took over the role from Queen Elizabeth then and is a strong supporter of the tournament, going to support and award trophies at the finals.
In years past, the Princess of Wales attended Wimbledon's early rounds before appearing at the finals that wrap the championships.
However, she scaled back that schedule in 2024 after announcing that she was receiving cancer treatment and only attended the finals weekends that year and in 2025.
Credit: Andrew Matthews – WPA Pool/Getty
Kate announced in March 2024 that she was undergoing cancer treatment and said in January 2025 that she was in remission.
The royal gradually resumed royal duties last year and made a momentous appearance at Wimbledon's men's singles final in July 2024, in what marked a rare public outing during her cancer treatment.
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Princess Kate was visibly moved when the stadium greeted her with a standing ovation as she arrived with her daughter Princess Charlotte, now 11, and sister Pippa Middleton, appearing to draw comfort from the response.
"This will have given her sustenance. She has gone through something awful and stressful, and it is crucial to have little wins to look forward to or to give you the courage and energy to go forward," a palace insider told PEOPLE at the time. "And this was it."