Princess Kate and tennis icon Roger Federer have crossed paths countless times at Wimbledon, capturing the imagination of fans with their meetings on and off the court
Roger Federer has formed a close bond with the Middleton family, including the Princess of Wales(Image: Thomas Lovelock – AELTC via Getty Images)
Princess Kate and tennis legend Roger Federer have developed a friendship through their numerous encounters at Wimbledon over the years.
As this Swiss icon approaches his third year of retirement, he now joins Her Royal Highness in the stands, rather than entertaining the crowd on the court. She was present to witness him secure a record-breaking eighth men’s singles title in 2017, alongside her husband William.
After his triumph over Croatian Marin Cilic, the Prince and Princess of Wales were spotted congratulating Federer. Kate surprised Royal enthusiasts by breaking protocol and giving him three kisses instead of the customary one or two.
One theory suggests it was because in Federer’s homeland, it’s traditional to greet friends with three pecks. Two years later, Kate returned to SW19 to watch Federer once more.
This time, she was offering her sympathies rather than congratulations when presenting him with his runner-up trophy following his five-set thriller against Novak Djokovic. Their 2023 meeting truly captured the public’s imagination.
By then, Federer had retired from his illustrious career and was attending Centre Court as a dedicated fan for the first time. He arrived to sit next to Kate in the Royal Box for Elena Rybakina’s victory over Shelby Rogers, receiving a standing ovation worthy of his iconic status at the All England Club.
However, the applause went on for so long that Kate had to take charge of the situation. Former British No. 1 and BBC commentator John Lloyd said: “The Princess of Wales had to give him a little nudge and tell him to sit down. It could have been another hour before we even started the match. It was great. Absolutely fantastic.”
Kate’s trio of kisses for Federer broke royal protocol(Image: YouTube/GameJester)
As they enjoyed the match together, Federer was mindful of maintaining decorum, later expressing: “It was so fun sitting next to Princess Catherine. I know her quite well.
“She is an avid tennis fan, and she plays herself. Sometimes we have to be careful we don’t speak too much. You can talk, and then it’s super quiet, and then you have to applaud.”
Kate has joined forces with Federer on various tennis-related endeavours, including showcasing the work of Wimbledon’s ball boys and girls. She tried her hand at the role, impressively catching a ball without letting it bounce.
Federer enjoyed his lengthy chat with tennis enthusiast Kate(Image: Karwai Tang, WireImagevia Getty Images)
However, Federer pointed out that she was in fact meant to let it hit the floor first. He told her: “In Australia they would catch it but here in Wimbledon they don’t.”
His ties with the Middleton family go further than just Kate; he previously imparted some tennis wisdom to Prince George on the courts and was in attendance at Pippa Middleton’s wedding to James Matthews in 2017, following Pippa’s interview with him for Vanity Fair in 2013.
Their mum Carole is an especially avid admirer, a fact not lost on the Princess of Wales, who has mentioned: “Roger is my mother’s heartthrob. I don’t think she will mind me saying that! I think he probably knows that too.”