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Prince & Princess of Wales

Wimbledon is in ‘love’ with the Duchess of Cambridge

The Duchess of Cambridge made a surprise appearance yesterday in a Snapchat by tennis star Serena Williams during her first visit to the Wimbledon Championships this year.

Williams shared the short clip, which featured the Duchess of Cambridge and a rather reluctant Sophie, Countess of Wessex, on her Snapchat account following her semi-final victory over Russian Elena Vesnina. The glowing ace appeared to surprise the royal ladies with the video joking ‘OK, so I’m in the “In Crowd” now, I’m with royalty.’

The Duchess was at Wimbledon to attend the Women’s Semi-Finals and watched from the Royal Box as Williams defeated Vesnina in just 48 minutes—the shortest Wimbledon semi-final since records began. The American tennis star will now face Angelique Kerber in the women’s final on Saturday.

Though Kate is a regular at the tournament this visit was markedly different to previous years and was more ‘official’ in tone. Before the match started she met ball boys and girls as well as Wimbledon officials. She also met with Andy Murray’s coach Ivan Lendl and spoke to Oracene Price, the proud mother of Venus and Serena Williams.

Speaking to Briton Greg Rusedski, a participant in the men’s invitational doubles, the Duchess shared that Prince George is already enjoying playing tennis and has taken a keen interest in the game.

Rusedski said after meeting her: ‘She talked about George, her little boy, playing tennis.’

Asked what she said, Rusedski replied: ‘He’s got a racket and he enjoys playing tennis, and obviously she plays with William…So they obviously enjoy the sport very much.’ He added ‘It’s too young to know what’s going to happen for the future, but it’s one of those sports for life….She was very friendly. I think everyone was delighted to meet her today at Wimbledon and she’s obviously a great ambassador for the country.’

Kate, an avid tennis fan who regularly frequents the Wimbledon tournament, chose a colour block yellow and white Roksanda dress which she debuted at the Sydney Opera House at the beginning of the royal tour of Australia she undertook with husband Prince William and their son Prince George—who was then a year old—in April 2014. Memorably, at the time Kate told a member of the crowd that welcomed them in Sydney that William thought she ‘looked like a banana’ in the brightly coloured dress. The dress is a bespoke version of the brands Ryedale wool-crepe dress with the colours reversed.

Kate accompanied the dress with Rupert Sanderson Malory Pumps in nude patent, the pair of Baroque Pearl Double Sided Earrings by Soru Jewellery she debuted at Wednesday’s Art Fund Museum of the Year Awards and her Cartier Ballon Bleu watch. She also carried a new bag – the Victoria Beckham Quincy Leather Tote Bag in white.