LONDON — Kate, Princess of Wales, watched the men’s final at Wimbledon on Sunday, in a rare public appearance since announcing her cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
Kate, 42, a huge tennis fan, has been a regular in the royal box for many years, often attending with her husband, Prince William, and other members of the royal family, and this year she was joined by her daughter Charlotte, 9, and her sister Pippa Middleton-Matthews, 40.
Wearing a long purple dress, Kate smiled and waved to the crowd as she made her way to Centre Court at Wimbledon, where she was greeted with a standing ovation ahead of the Grand Slam final between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.
Kate has been limiting her public appearances since revealing earlier this year that she was undergoing treatment for cancer. Prince William, 42, and their sons George, 10, Charlotte, five, and Louis, also five, have made few public appearances in recent months.
But last month, Kate attended Trooping the Colour, an annual military ceremony marking King Charles III’s official birthday in London.
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.” She said she’s “progressing well” but that treatment will continue for a few more months.
Kate’s health has been the subject of widespread speculation and unfounded conspiracy theories since the palace announced in January that she would be taking some time off from royal duties following planned abdominal surgery.
The wife of Britain’s future king responded to months of heated speculation by revealing in a video in March that she had cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy.
Her announcement came after her father-in-law, King Charles III, announced his own cancer diagnosis in February. Doctors discovered the disease after the monarch was hospitalized for an enlarged prostate, but the palace said the monarch did not have prostate cancer.
The Queen, 75, and Kate did not reveal details about the type of cancer they have or their prognosis.
Prince Charles has attended several events since resuming royal duties last month, including the Normandy landings anniversary commemorations in France.
Hours after Kate watched the tennis match, Kensington Palace announced in a statement that Prince William would be cheering on England taking on Spain in the Euro 2024 soccer final in Berlin, Germany.
Earlier in the tournament, William, the Football Association chairman, watched the English team play Switzerland and Denmark as they progressed to the knockout stages.
