Kate Middleton Makes an Appearance at Wimbledon 2024 Amid Her Cancer Battle
Princess Kate Middleton stepped out at Wimbledon despite her hiatus from public duties during her cancer treatments.
The royal, 42, attended the tennis tournament on Sunday, July 14, sporting a chic purple dress and carrying a beige handbag. She was seen arriving with her daughter Princess Charlotte, 9, who opted for a navy dress with a matching hair bow.
Over the years, Kate has become a regular fixture at Wimbledon, handing out trophies in her capacity as a patron of the All England Club. Chair Debbie Jevans told Telegraph Sport in June that the tournament planned to give Kate “as much flexibility as possible” as she focused on her recovery. Kate only attended Wimbledon 2024 on Sunday.
Kate retreated from the public eye in January when she underwent abdominal surgery. She later confirmed in March that she had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer and was receiving preventative chemotherapy treatments.
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In June, Kate offered an update on her health as she prepared to attend Trooping the Colour, which was her first official appearance since December 2023.
“I have been blown away by all the kind messages of support and encouragement over the last couple of months,” she said in a statement at the time. “It really has made the world of difference to William and me and has helped us both through some of the harder times. I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days.”
She added: “On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.”
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At the time, Kate revealed that she would continue her treatments for “a few more months,” but she had been “starting to do a little work from home.” She hoped “to join a few public engagements over the summer” but knew she was “not out of the woods yet.”
“I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty. Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal,” she concluded. “Thank you so much for your continued understanding, and to all of you who have so bravely shared your stories with me.”
The month prior, Kensington Palace reiterated that Kate “needs the space and the privacy to recover right now,” noting that she would “return to work when she has had the green light from doctors.”
Despite the difficulties of her diagnosis, Kate’s health scare has brought her and Prince William — who share Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6 — closer together. “They are each other’s confidants, providing emotional support,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month. “William’s been a constant source of strength.”