Royals at Wimbledon: Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana and Prince William at the tennis championships throughout history

Plus why Kate is the biggest Wimbledon fan in the family 
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Strawberries and cream, big sunglasses, foaming jugs of Pimms... oh, and some tennis.

The cancellation of Wimbledon this year will be a disappointment many, not least the Royal Family members who never miss it.

"This year, things are very different," said the Duchess of Cambridge in a video released by Wimbledon this year, "But we will bide our time until we sit at the edge of our seats again, and celebrate again. So when the time is right and we open the gates, we will be back again, and it will have been worth the wait."

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Kate, royal patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, has been a keen presence in the royal box since her marriage into the Royal Family, though her interest in tennis goes back to childhood.

Over the years the royal box has seen queens, princesses and dukes sit shoulder-to-shoulder with celebrities and watch the on-court action unfold.

Princess Diana at Wimbledon with Prince Albert of Monaco
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Before the Duchess of Cambridge tried (and failed) to get her husband Prince William to do a crowd wave from the bleachers, Queen Elizabeth and her predecessors were also fixtures at the event.

How are the royals connected to Wimbledon?

Queen Elizabeth II presents a trophy to Althea Gibson in 1957
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According to author Bruce Tarran, the British royals’ love affair with Wimbledon began in 1907 when Prince George (later King George V) was asked to present the winners’ trophy.

The prince had a personal connection to the All England Club secretary at the time, George Hillyard, who was his childhood friend and later asked him to become president of the association.

Princess Margaret watches Wimbledon in 1965
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Tarran writes that Prince George cemented “a tradition maintained by succeeding Monarchs to the present day”, as when he later became King George V he was patron of the club.

Following that, others Royal Family members, including Queen Elizabeth II and Kate Middleton, have presented winners trophies or served as patron to the club.

Prince Charles at Wimbledon in 1970
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The Duke of Kent, the Queen's first cousin, has been President of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club since 1969, according to the royals’ official site.

The Duke of Kent presenting Novak Djokovic with the winners cup in 2017
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Meghan Markle also has her own independent connection to Wimbledon, as the Duchess of Sussex is close friends with tennis pro Serena Williams.

In 2018, the Duchess of Sussex attended Wimbledon alongside her new sister-in-law Kate to cheer Williams on in the Ladies Final (Williams lost against Angelique Kerber).

While Prince Harry, Prince William and even occasionally Prince Charles are known to join the occasional polo tournament, just one Royal Family member has ever competed at Wimbledon: the Duke of York.

The Duke of York (later King George VI) competing at Wimbledon
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The father of Queen Elizabeth II took to the Centre Court in 1926 for a doubles tournament. Later, the BFI released archival footage of the tournament.

Unfortunately, he lost in the first round and a member of the Royal Family never competed again.

Why is Kate frequently at Wimbledon?

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Kate is patron to The Lawn Tennis Association as well as the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, which hosts Wimbledon.

She inherited the latter patronage from her grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth. According to the official royal website, Kate played tennis from a young age and is described as a “keen tennis fan”.

Kate Middleton at Wimbledon in 2008
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The website adds that she has “regularly attended the Wimbledon Championships” and over the years has worn a signature green and purple bow.

Green and purple are the colours of the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club’s logo and the Duke of Kent has worn a similar one in the past.

The Duchess of Cambridge attends on day two of the Wimbledon Championships 2019
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She was seen wearing the bow on her lapel again in 2019.

When the Duchess was unable to attend in 2013 when British player Andy Murray won, she reportedly “wrote to him after saying sorry for not being there”.

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The Duchess said in a BBC documentary: “It’s such... a quintessential part of the English summer, and I think it really inspires youngsters; myself, it inspired me, when I was younger, to get involved in the game."

"It hasn’t changed either," she continued, "I think that’s what’s so wonderful.”

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Kate's siblings James and Pippa are also known to be fans of Wimbledon. While they don't always sit with their sister, the pair are usually seen watching in a different part of Centre Court.

The Duchess typically sits up in the royal box, although this year she was spotted at Court 14 for British player Harriet Dart’s match against Christina McHale.

PA

At the match she was joined by professional tennis players Anne Keothavong and Katie Boulter as well as an attache of security and staff.

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