The Princess of Wales returned to Centre Court to present the Ladies’ Singles Trophy following the conclusion of the Wimbledon final, continuing one of her most recognisable official duties as Patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. The trophy presentation is a longstanding part of the Championships, with the Princess congratulating both the champion and the runner-up before the winner lifted the famous Venus Rosewater Dish.
Arriving at Centre Court, the Princess of Wales received a standing ovation from the Wimbledon crowd, which once more seemed to take her by surprise as it continued several moments after she first tried to sit down. Kate continued to wave and acknowledge the reception which welcomed her back to the royal box.
The Princess, dressed in bright red for the final which took place on one of the hottest days of 2026, settled down for an afternoon of epic tennis and emotions in a gruelling three set match.
Linda Noskova raced to a first set advantage, claiming it 6-2, before looking despondent as her opponent, fellow Czech Karolina Muchova, took the second with a 7-5 win. Less than an hour later, ninth seed Noskova was celebrating after closing out the the deciding set 6-3 and winning her first Grand Slam title.
After the final point had been played , it was Kate’s turn to take to the court and she spent some time talking to some of the ballboys and boygirls who traditionally make up a guard of honour for the presentation party as they make their way on to Centre Court.
As the presentation ceremony got under way, and with the famous Venus Rosewater Dish displayed beside her, the Princess first congratulated the runner-up, Karolina Muchova, offering warm words of encouragement and recognition for an outstanding tournament.
The moment then arrived for the champion to receive the coveted trophy. As LindaNoskova, still emotional, stepped forward, the Princess presented the Venus Rosewater Dish with a broad smile. The exchange was marked by genuine warmth and mutual respect, with the new Wimbledon champion clearly delighted to receive one of tennis’s most prestigious trophies from the Princess herself.
The Princess of Wales has long been known for her love of tennis. She has attended Wimbledon regularly, supporting players across the tournament and taking a keen interest in both the sporting action and the people who make the Championships possible. Whether meeting young competitors, speaking with volunteers or chatting with former champions, she demonstrates a genuine enthusiasm for the sport.
Her first visit to the 2026 championship saw her make her way down the queue of people waiting to get in, posing for selfies and chatting to them about the tennis they were set to watch. She then helped check some people in, scanning tickets. Then she headed to the outside courts with the first match watched by the Patron of the All England Tennis Club this year featuring a certain Arthur Fery, the British wildcard entrant who ended up going all the way to the semi-finals with Queen Camilla watching his famous quarter final win and giving him a standing ovation.
The Princess of Wales also took part in ‘Overheard at Wimbledon’ where she shared details of her recent ‘Three Peaks Challenge’ with Tim Henman.
Her appearance at Wimbledon also symbolises continuity and tradition. For generations, members of the Royal Family have been closely associated with the Championships, helping to reinforce Wimbledon as one of Britain’s most cherished sporting occasions. The Princess has embraced this responsibility obvious enjoyment.
For many tennis fans, seeing the Princess present the trophies has become one of the defining images of Wimbledon. Kate later took to social media where she also had words of congratulations for the Wheelchair Doubles Champions, Alfie Hewitt and Gordon Reid, who she said had produced a ”very special” moment at the Championships with their win.
