How Kate Middleton's Dad Left Her Mortified at Wimbledon

Kate Middleton wears a pink shirt dress and has long brown wavy hair attending Wimbledon with her dad Michael Middleton — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Kate Middleton is a known fan of tennis, and is a regular fixture at Wimbledon each year. The Princess of Wales has often been photographed attending the famed tennis tournament with her family members, including father Michael Middleton. However, according to Princess Kate, she's experienced at least one embarrassing moment at Wimbledon, and her dad was to blame.

During an appearance in the 2017 BBC documentary Our Wimbledon, Princess Kate explained (via Hello! magazine), "My father is not going to appreciate this, but we were walking past Tim Henman and we had just seen [Pete] Sampras play." She continued, "My dad said very coolly, 'Hi Pete.' I was mortified!"

Of course, most people will likely be able to relate to Kate's embarrassment at something cringeworthy her dad said.

Kate Middleton at Wimbledon with her dad Michael Middleton on July 11, 2021 — Kate Middleton at Wimbledon with her dad Michael on July 11, 2021.

Royal fans were delighted when Princess Kate attended Wimbledon in 2024, amid her cancer treatment. A patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, the Princess of Wales decided to wear a bespoke purple Safiyaa dress for her appearance at 2024's tournament.

"Kate has a history of choosing clever, whimsical themes for her Wimbledon looks, and this was a new one," Bethan Holt, The Daily Telegraph's fashion director told People. "Wearing purple underlines how important that role is to her and why she chose this event to make her second public appearance of the year."

Princess Charlotte and Kate Middleton laughing at Wimbledon 2024 — Princess Charlotte and Kate Middleton at Wimbledon in 2024.

Holt continued, "I think she looked glowing and radiant, and it was lovely to see her looking so relaxed."

Explaining why royal fans are so fascinated by Princess Kate, Holt noted, "She really is a kind of beacon of hope for many, but that also comes with a lot of pressure. On the flip side, she has a whole team of people helping her, and most people don't have the resources she has, but I do think just her presence can really lift people's mood."

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Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.