The Princess of Wales' attendance at this year's Wimbledon tournament remains uncertain as she continues her recovery from a cancer diagnosis and preventative chemotherapy treatment. Deborah Jevans, the chair of the All England Club, addressed the issue during a recent media briefing, emphasizing that the priority is to allow the princess the time she needs to recover without added pressure.
"Our priority is clearly that our Patron has the time to recover and we're certainly not going to add any additional pressure on her recovery by speculating on her attendance at this year's Championships," Jevans stated, according to the Daily Express. The princess, a keen tennis fan, typically attends the tournament several times each year in her role as patron of the All England Club and has recently been given the honor of presenting trophies to singles winners.
When asked about potential alternative arrangements for the trophy presentations on July 13 and 14, should the princess be unable to attend, Jevans added, "And when it comes to the presentation ceremony, as in previous years, we will announce those that are going to be a part of that ceremony on the morning of the finals, so nothing has changed in that regard."
The uncertainty surrounding Princess Kate's Wimbledon attendance comes as speculation mounts over her potential appearance at the King's official birthday celebrations, known as Trooping the Colour, on Saturday. Palace sources have indicated that the princess is considering making an appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony following the ceremony if she is feeling well enough, but have stressed that her return to official duties will only occur once she has been given the all-clear by doctors.
Last weekend, the princess did not attend the Colonel's Review, the traditional dress rehearsal for Trooping the Colour, but sent a letter to the Irish Guards, of which she is a colonel, apologizing for her absence and wishing them well. The letter has led to speculation about her potential return to public life, but palace sources have dismissed requests to clarify whether the note indicated an imminent return to official duties.
"The thing about William and Kate is that they honestly do a lot of this stuff themselves," a source familiar with the couple's working style told the Mirror. "It's not like the old days of Queen Elizabeth II where the men in grey wrote something and the Queen just signed it without any input. This was very clearly demonstrated with the photoshopped Mother's Day image. For good or ill, they write the letters and take the pictures and tell their staff, 'send it out'."
The source continued, "My understanding is that there is no timeframe for Catherine returning to public duties. I actually don't think her note implies she is going to be charging down to their headquarters to inspect a parade next month. I honestly think it's just a classic case of the Waleses not feeling they need to ask for advice when it comes to sending a simple letter."
As the princess focuses on her health and recovery, her public appearances are expected to remain sporadic, with palace sources insisting that she will not return to official duties until given the all-clear by doctors. The King, who has also been undergoing cancer treatment, will attend his official birthday celebrations in London on Saturday, with adaptations made to his routine to accommodate his health needs.
