LONDON – Kate, Princess of Wales, attended the Wimbledon men’s final on Sunday in a rare public appearance since announcing her cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
A huge tennis fan, Kate, 42, has been a fixture at the Royal Box for years, often joining her husband Prince William and other members of the royal family. This year he was joined by his daughter Charlotte, 9, and sister Pippa Middleton Matthews, 40.
Wearing a long purple dress, Kate received a standing ovation between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Algarz ahead of the Grand Slam final as she made her way onto Wimbledon’s center court.
Kate’s public appearances have been few and far between since she revealed earlier this year that she was undergoing treatment for cancer. William, 42, and their children George, 10, Charlotte and Louis, 5, have also stayed out of the public eye in recent months.
However, last month, Kate attended Trooping the Color In London, the annual military parade celebrates the official birthday of King Charles III.
Ahead of her appearance, she shared an update on her cancer treatment, saying in a written message that she’s “not out of the woods yet” and that she has “good days and bad days.” He said he is “making good progress” but his treatment will continue for several more months.
Kate’s health has been the subject of widespread speculation and unsubstantiated conspiracy theories after the palace said she was taking a step back from public engagements following a planned stomach operation in January.
The wife of Britain’s future king responded to intense speculation in March with a video in which she revealed she had cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy.
Her announcement came after her father-in-law Charles III was diagnosed with his own cancer in February. Although the palace said he did not have prostate cancer, doctors discovered the disease after he was admitted to hospital with an enlarged prostate.
The 75-year-old monarch and Kate declined to give details of what type of cancer they have or their prognosis.
Since resuming public duties last month, Charles has attended several engagements, including D-Day memorial services in France.
Hours after Kate attended tennis, Kensington Palace said in a statement that William will cheer on England when they play Spain in the Euro 2024 soccer final in Berlin, Germany.
Ahead of the tournament, William, chairman of the Football Association of England, watched Switzerland and Denmark play as they progressed to the showpiece event.
