Following her first public appearance of the year at Trooping the Colour, the Princess of Wales is reportedly 'hoping' to attend Wimbledon this year. The annual tennis tournament, which kicks off on Monday 1st July, will take place over two weeks, and Kate Middleton regularly attends matches with her family. Last year, Princess Kate watched the Wimbledon men's final from the royal box with her two eldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, and as patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club she often presents the winners trophy.
Despite reports that Kate's appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony 'took its toll' on the her amidst her cancer treatment, one royal expert has claimed that 'nobody really knows' how she is recovering, and in her own words Kate expressed that she has 'good days and bad days'. However, it has since been reported that the Princess is 'hoping' to attend Wimbledon this year, with organisers adding that they will offer 'as much flexibility as possible' to accommodate her.
In an interview with Grazia magazine, royal expert Emily Andrews said: "Her treatment is ongoing, and will be for the next few months, but I understand she would like to visit the Wimbledon tennis tournament — she is a patron — if she feels up to it."
Earlier this month Deborah Jevans, Chair of the All England Club, declined to comment on whether or not Kate would attend, stating in a media briefing: "Our priority is clearly that our Patron has the time to recover and we’re certainly not going to add any additional pressure on her recovery by speculating on her attendance at this year’s Championships."
However, Jevans has since told the Telegraph Sport that they are 'hopeful', saying: "We're hopeful that the Princess of Wales will be able to present the trophies as the Club’s patron, but her health and recovery is the priority. I don’t know who would present the trophies as an alternative - that’s something to consider nearer the time if necessary. We’re staying flexible. When we hear, we'll then think about what’s the right thing to do."
In March, Kate shared a video message explaining that she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy. She confirmed that doctors had 'found cancer had been present' during an abdominal surgery in January, and following weeks of speculation over her health she asked for privacy for herself and her family.
The Princess thrilled royal fans when she confirmed that she would be attending Trooping the Colour earlier this month, and in a statement shared on social media Kate wrote: "I have been blown away by all the kind messages of support and encouragement over the last couple of months. It really has made the world of difference to William and me and has helped us both through some of the harder times."
She continued: "I am not out of the woods yet. I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty. Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal."
The Palace has not yet commented.
