Seeing Kate at Wimbledon is always an enjoyable fixture on the royal calendar. Today's visit had additional significance - marking her first visit to the championships as patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC). In December, it was announced the Queen had passed the patronage on to Kate. It's a splendid fit for the Duchess who is an avid fan and a keen amateur player.
Kate met current and former players. Below, Kate meets Austrian tennis player Dominic Thiem. Kate asked Dominic how the practice sessions were going and when she found out his first match is tomorrow, not today, she said "That's why you're so relaxed". When asked if she plays tennis, Kate replied "Yes, but not to any standard".
Kate chatting with tennis legend Martina Navratilova who won eighteen Grand Slam titles during her career.
The Duchess meets ball boys and ball girls before they took up their positions on court.
Kate told two ball girls and a ball boy she met: "Your work makes the game happen. It makes such a difference to the players, your professionalism,” adding: “You look so smart."
The ball boys and ball girls are recruited from local schools and spend weeks training ahead of the tournament. Reports noted Kate was particularly interested in hearing more about their roles.
In the video below, Kate tells one of the ball boys "I look forward to seeing you on one of the courts one day".
"I look forward to seeing you on one of the courts one day" - Duchess of Cambridge meets a ballboy on the first day of #Wimbledon #Royals pic.twitter.com/8XJ7LUBIOs— 5News (@5_News) July 3, 2017
The Duchess met staff and volunteers before matches commenced.
Kate met with the medical and safety teams who play a key role at Wimbledon every year.
Kate's role as patron offers a host of new opportunities. Kate was invited to nominate a charity to be involved in the pre-match coin toss at the Gentlemen’s Singles Final. Kate chose her patronage Place2Be, a children’s mental health charity that provides emotional & therapeutic services in schools across the UK. The organisation chose Luca to take part in the Centre Court ceremony a week from Sunday. Kate said she's thrilled for Luca "to step out onto Centre Court & showcase the excellent work of Place2Be on the world stage. As Patron of both Place2Be and Wimbledon, this is a unique opportunity to bring together two wonderful organisations.
11-year old Luca Schmetzer will perform Coin Toss at Gentlemen's Final representing @Place2Be nominated by HRH The Duchess of Cambridge pic.twitter.com/wEec0aWK8n— Wimbledon Foundation (@WimbledonFdn) July 3, 2017
Kate takes her seat in the Royal Box beside AELTC chairman Philip Brook.
The Duchess was greeted with a kiss from The Duke of Kent - he has been President of Wimbledon since 1969 and presents the winners' trophies to the champions at the end of the tournament.
The two share a great love of Wimbledon and I'm sure will have had conversations as Kate officially begins her role as patron. They are also 'neighbours' with the Duke and Duchess of Kent residing at Kensington Palace.
The Duchess looked a tad...surprised when Philip Brook handed her something. This one begs a caption contest :)
A closer look at the mystery item.
Kate watched world number one Andy Murray complete against Alexander Bublik in the first round of the championships. Also seated in the Royal Box were actor Dominic Cooper, writer Bill Bryson and Andy Murray’s father, William.
In the video below, Andy and Alexander enjoyed some friendly banter ahead of the match. It's an incredibly exciting time for Andy, it was announced over the weekend his wife Kim is expecting their second baby.
A delighted Kate applauded Andy as he sailed through the first round in three sets.
The Duchess donned a polka-dot Dolce & Gabbana dress today (with thanks to Kate's Closet).
The white and black stretch cotton-silk blend polka dot dress features a scoop neck, three-quarter length sleeves, a concealed rear zip fastening, a flared skirt. It's currently reduced by 40% to $1,055 at Matches and reduced by 50% at FarFetch. It's also available in limited sizes at Shop Bazaar.
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| Matches |
More from the product description:
'Dolce & Gabbana’s Spring/Summer 2017 Tropico Italiano show features holiday inspired designs from Naples and the Italian design duo's native Sicily with luxe embellishments and feminine silhouettes beautifully encapsulating the Italian fashion house’s trademark aesthetic.'
It appears Kate's dress is customised with a squared neckline.
Below, we show another very similar Dolce & Gabbana dress with a square neckline. The dress is available at My Theresa and Browns.
Kate teamed her dress with a new pair of black block heels. Upon first look, I thought they could be a new pair by Gianvito Rossi. It turns out they are actually the £62 Office Nina Block Heel Sandals (with thanks to Giulia). The strappy sandals feature a buckle fastening around the ankle. The shoes come in a variety of colours.
Kate accessorised with her $190 Oscar de la Renta Hammered Gold-Plated Faux Pearl Earrings. The earrings are described: "Oscar de la Renta's earrings are an elegant way to complete day or evening looks. This gold-plated pewter pair is hammered to beautifully catch the light and centered with smooth faux pearls. |
| My Theresa |
Kate teamed her dress with a new pair of black block heels. Upon first look, I thought they could be a new pair by Gianvito Rossi. It turns out they are actually the £62 Office Nina Block Heel Sandals (with thanks to Giulia). The strappy sandals feature a buckle fastening around the ankle. The shoes come in a variety of colours.
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| Harrods |
Kate carried her Victoria Beckham Quincy bag. The £995 tote is a "mini-shopper" in moonshine buffalo-leather with a calf-leather trim. The piece remains available in black at Net-A-Porter.
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| Net-A-Porter |
The Duchess first carried the bag to Wimbledon last year. I expect it's quite a roomy tote, perfect for bringing an assortment of items for a day of tennis.
Kate's new sunglasses are the Bulgari Women's BV8170 Sunglasses, they retail at Amazon for $183. With thanks to our reader Sara for the tip!
The most talked about element of Kate's look has been her new shorter hairstyle. It's quite a bit shorter than we usually see the Duchess opt for. I must admit, I've always loved Kate's hair longer, she has such fantastic hair, I've always felt it suited her best long. However, it's great to see her trying something new and fresh. The entire look was perfect for Wimbledon, the dress and shoes looked gorgeous together. What do you think of Kate's new hairstyle and her ensemble today? Did she ace it in your opinion? :)
A video from the day.
As you know, 'Sue Barker: Our Wimbledon' aired yesterday evening and featured a brief chat with Kate about her memories of the tournament. It's not yet available on YouTube, I will add it to the post as soon as it is.
More on the day from the Palace:
That evening the Royal couple will travel to the picturesque Orangery in Łazienki Park, where the British Ambassador will host a Queen's Birthday Party. It is the largest park in Warsaw occupying 76 hectares of the city centre.
18 July - Day two begins with a trip to the former Nazi Germany Concentration Camp, Stutthof. Stutthof was the first camp set up outside German borders, in September 1939, and one of the last camps liberated by the Allies, in May 1945. 110,000 people – men, women and children – from 28 countries were imprisoned in Stutthof, of whom as many as 65,000, including 28,000 Jews, died. During their visit, William and Kate will meet a group of five former prisoners of the camp.
Back to the press release:
William and Kate will visit the Gdansk Shakespeare Theatre, of which Prince Charles is Patron. During the seventeenth century there was a large English-speaking community based in Gdansk, which made the city an important destination for travelling English players. The Shakespeare Theatre opened in 2014, and is home to the city’s annual Shakespeare festival, attended by theatre-lovers from around the world. They will attend a small reception for Poles from world of arts and culture.
Their time in Gdansk will end with a trip to the European Solidarity Centre, in Gdansk’s shipyards, the birth-place of the Solidarity movement in Poland. The Duke and Duchess will tour the museum there, and meet with founding members of Solidarity. On departure Their Royal Highnesses will walk through the iconic shipyard gates, a key symbol of the protests during the 1980s,before laying a wreath at the foot of the Solidarity Monument.
July 19 - The Cambridges will say farewell to Poland before commencing the German leg of the tour in Berlin. The Duke and Duchess will start the day's engagements with a private meeting with Chancellor Merkel. This will be The Duke’s second meeting with the Chancellor; they first met during his trip to Düsseldorf last year. Next, William and Kate will visit the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin’s most famous landmark and a symbol of German unification. The Royal couple will say hello to crowds gathered on Pariser Platz in front of the Gate, before making their way to the Holocaust Memorial. Here they will tour the museum before walking through the Memorial itself.
The third day of the tour will also include the following engagements:
July 20 - "Day four includes a visit to one of Germany's most enchanting cities, Heidelberg, which has been twinned with Cambridge since 1965. Just south of Frankfurt, surrounded by thick forest, this is the oldest university town in Germany." The Duke and Duchess’s first stop in Heidelberg will be the German Cancer Research Centre. They will meet researchers and visit the stem cell research lab to learn more about the important work being done there.Their Royal Highnesses will then proceed to the centre of Heidelberg, situated by the riverside and overlooked by the ruins of its famous castle. They will wander through the central market square, on which a British-German market will be set up offering local food and drink before the Mayor of Heidelberg leads the way to the River Neckar.
We can look forward to a a particularly fun engagement when William and Kate embark on a rowing boat each for a friendly competition, joined by rowers from both Cambridge and Heidelberg. I imagine we can look forward to more photos like this one the day.
That evening, The Duke and Duchess will attend a reception in the vintage mirrored hall of Clärchens Ballhaus. Opened in 1913, Clärchens is one of the last remaining old ballrooms in Berlin, and will play host to a reception for some of the most creative, innovative, and exciting new names in the world of art, culture, style, fashion and technology in the city.
July 21 - The final day of the tour, Friday, 21 July, will see The Duke and Duchess visit Hamburg which is Germany’s second largest city, and home to its largest harbour. William and Kate will make their way further through Hamburg’s dockside warehouse quarter to the Elbphilharmonie. Opened in January 2017, the “Elphi” was built with the aim of creating a new city landmark. It is one of the biggest concert halls in the world and renowned for its advanced acoustics. The Duke and Duchess will join the orchestra on stage, before listening to a special performance by the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra.
The Duke and Duchess will then depart by boat and travel down the River Elbe to their final destination for this tour: Airbus. The company’s base in Hamburg is home to production, maintenance and training facilities. The couple will tour the complex and meet apprentices, both German and English. The Duke and Duchess will then visit the final assembly line of an A320 aircraft and view the cockpit of a near-complete plane.
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| Amazon |
The most talked about element of Kate's look has been her new shorter hairstyle. It's quite a bit shorter than we usually see the Duchess opt for. I must admit, I've always loved Kate's hair longer, she has such fantastic hair, I've always felt it suited her best long. However, it's great to see her trying something new and fresh. The entire look was perfect for Wimbledon, the dress and shoes looked gorgeous together. What do you think of Kate's new hairstyle and her ensemble today? Did she ace it in your opinion? :)
A video from the day.
As you know, 'Sue Barker: Our Wimbledon' aired yesterday evening and featured a brief chat with Kate about her memories of the tournament. It's not yet available on YouTube, I will add it to the post as soon as it is.
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For the second portion of the post we're switching gears and turning our attention to the upcoming Germany/Poland tour which takes place 17-21 July. Kensington Palace released the itinerary this morning along with the very unexpected news William and Kate have decided to bring George and Charlotte. A Kensington Palace spokesman said: "The Duke and Duchess are very much looking forward to this tour and are delighted with the exciting and varied programme that has been put together for it. They have decided that their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, will travel with them and we expect the children to be seen on at least a couple of occasions over the course of the week." This is wonderful news, it will be an added bonus to see the little Prince and Princess there. The children joined their parents in Canada last September, it had been reported we wouldn't see them on another tour for "several years". It's an excellent opportunity to bring them before George starts school in September and scheduling becomes more problematic.
A statement from Kensington Palace:
'The Duke and Duchess are very much looking forward to this tour and are delighted with the exciting and varied programme that has been put together for it. They look forward to a busy and impactful tour and are grateful that they will have the opportunity to meet the Polish and German people – such important friends of the United Kingdom – as a family.
As with previous tours, Their Royal Highnesses have asked that this tour allow them opportunities to meet a wide variety of people in both countries. In addition to meeting leaders in business, government and civil society, The Duke and Duchess will prioritise opportunities to meet the young people of both countries; from entrepreneurs, to mental health campaigners, and bright young talents in music and the arts.
The tour will also take in the stunning scenery and architectural feats of Poland and Germany. The Duke and Duchess will wander through the beautiful market of Gdansk flanked by terracotta houses and cobbled pathways; they will take part in a rowing race on the Neckar River; and they will tour the spectacular Elbphilharmonie Concert hall in Hamburg.
The five day tour will also include time acknowledging the complex 20th century histories of each country with visits to the Warsaw Rising Museum, Stutthof Concentration Camp, and the Berlin Holocaust Memorial. At each location Their Royal Highnesses will meet survivors of these periods, who will describe their personal experiences.'
17 July - The tour kicks off on Monday 17 July with the Cambridges arriving in Warsaw at midday.
They will be greeted by President Duda and the First Lady at the Presidential Palace, who will officially welcome them to Poland.
They will travel to the Warsaw Rising Museum, which is dedicated to the uprising of 1944 which saw the Polish resistance Home Army attempt to liberate Warsaw from German occupation.
'Their Royal Highnesses will next visit the Heart in the Warsaw Spire building, joining young Polish entrepreneurs. The Duke and Duchess will join a busy, bustling event which includes a tech market-place, and pitching sessions from Polish start-ups. This event will mark the beginning of a 'Warsaw-London bridge' initiative that aims to help small Polish businesses access London’s unique opportunities for scaling up to become global players.'
That evening the Royal couple will travel to the picturesque Orangery in Łazienki Park, where the British Ambassador will host a Queen's Birthday Party. It is the largest park in Warsaw occupying 76 hectares of the city centre.
18 July - Day two begins with a trip to the former Nazi Germany Concentration Camp, Stutthof. Stutthof was the first camp set up outside German borders, in September 1939, and one of the last camps liberated by the Allies, in May 1945. 110,000 people – men, women and children – from 28 countries were imprisoned in Stutthof, of whom as many as 65,000, including 28,000 Jews, died. During their visit, William and Kate will meet a group of five former prisoners of the camp.
Back to the press release:
'Following their morning at Stutthof, the Royal couple will travel to Gdansk. This handsome port city is located on Poland’s northern Baltic coastline. It is awash with colourful buildings, and narrow cobbled streets, with numerous shops devoted to amber, the city's most prominent export. In the central market square Their Royal Highnesses will join a street party where they will be offered Goldwasser - a Gdansk liqueur, and traditional Polish pierogi, while watching amber craftsmen at work, and listening to local musicians and artists who will contribute to the festive feeling.'
William and Kate will visit the Gdansk Shakespeare Theatre, of which Prince Charles is Patron. During the seventeenth century there was a large English-speaking community based in Gdansk, which made the city an important destination for travelling English players. The Shakespeare Theatre opened in 2014, and is home to the city’s annual Shakespeare festival, attended by theatre-lovers from around the world. They will attend a small reception for Poles from world of arts and culture.
Their time in Gdansk will end with a trip to the European Solidarity Centre, in Gdansk’s shipyards, the birth-place of the Solidarity movement in Poland. The Duke and Duchess will tour the museum there, and meet with founding members of Solidarity. On departure Their Royal Highnesses will walk through the iconic shipyard gates, a key symbol of the protests during the 1980s,before laying a wreath at the foot of the Solidarity Monument.
July 19 - The Cambridges will say farewell to Poland before commencing the German leg of the tour in Berlin. The Duke and Duchess will start the day's engagements with a private meeting with Chancellor Merkel. This will be The Duke’s second meeting with the Chancellor; they first met during his trip to Düsseldorf last year. Next, William and Kate will visit the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin’s most famous landmark and a symbol of German unification. The Royal couple will say hello to crowds gathered on Pariser Platz in front of the Gate, before making their way to the Holocaust Memorial. Here they will tour the museum before walking through the Memorial itself.
The third day of the tour will also include the following engagements:
'The afternoon will see The Duke and Duchess travel to the eastern district of Marzahn. They will visit Strassenkinder, a charity which supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including homeless children. In the charity’s youth club, Their Royal Highnesses will spend time with some of the young people who have received help from the charity, as well as meeting individuals from the Robert Enke Foundation. Set up in memory of the footballer, this organisation raises awareness of mental health issues, particularly in sport.The Royal couple will then return to the west of the city, and meet with President Steinmeier at the Bellevue Palace.
That evening, Their Royal Highnesses will attend a Queen’s Birthday Party held in the gardens of the British Ambassador’s residence. The Duke of Cambridge will give his second speech of the tour during this reception.'
July 20 - "Day four includes a visit to one of Germany's most enchanting cities, Heidelberg, which has been twinned with Cambridge since 1965. Just south of Frankfurt, surrounded by thick forest, this is the oldest university town in Germany." The Duke and Duchess’s first stop in Heidelberg will be the German Cancer Research Centre. They will meet researchers and visit the stem cell research lab to learn more about the important work being done there.Their Royal Highnesses will then proceed to the centre of Heidelberg, situated by the riverside and overlooked by the ruins of its famous castle. They will wander through the central market square, on which a British-German market will be set up offering local food and drink before the Mayor of Heidelberg leads the way to the River Neckar.
We can look forward to a a particularly fun engagement when William and Kate embark on a rowing boat each for a friendly competition, joined by rowers from both Cambridge and Heidelberg. I imagine we can look forward to more photos like this one the day.
That evening, The Duke and Duchess will attend a reception in the vintage mirrored hall of Clärchens Ballhaus. Opened in 1913, Clärchens is one of the last remaining old ballrooms in Berlin, and will play host to a reception for some of the most creative, innovative, and exciting new names in the world of art, culture, style, fashion and technology in the city.
July 21 - The final day of the tour, Friday, 21 July, will see The Duke and Duchess visit Hamburg which is Germany’s second largest city, and home to its largest harbour. William and Kate will make their way further through Hamburg’s dockside warehouse quarter to the Elbphilharmonie. Opened in January 2017, the “Elphi” was built with the aim of creating a new city landmark. It is one of the biggest concert halls in the world and renowned for its advanced acoustics. The Duke and Duchess will join the orchestra on stage, before listening to a special performance by the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra.
The Duke and Duchess will then depart by boat and travel down the River Elbe to their final destination for this tour: Airbus. The company’s base in Hamburg is home to production, maintenance and training facilities. The couple will tour the complex and meet apprentices, both German and English. The Duke and Duchess will then visit the final assembly line of an A320 aircraft and view the cockpit of a near-complete plane.
It's a nicely planned tour encompassing a varied mix of engagements. From architectural highlights, sites of historical significance, a focus on the arts and culture, young people, meeting officials and of course celebrating Britain's links between both European countries, it's going to be a hectic week as the royals continue their Brexit soft diplomacy European visits. I'm looking forward to this one and getting to know more about both countries. What do you think of the itinerary? Are you looking forward to any events in particular? Are many of our readers in Germany and Poland hoping to see the royals during their visit?
