Kate Middleton, 42, regularly attends Wimbledon and is known for awarding trophies to the singles champions at the tennis tournament as the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Although she has kept out of the public eye amid her cancer treatment, Wimbledon organizers are reportedly ‘hopeful’ that she will be able to continue the tradition at the event this year.
On March 22, Kate announced that she had been diagnosed with an unspecified type of cancer and was undergoing preventative chemotherapy treatment. Following the news, she’s stayed largely out of the public eye, only returning for Trooping the Colour earlier this month.
“I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty,” Kate’s statement on June 14 continued. “Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal…”
Reports indicate that the Princess of Wales, who is “not out of the woods yet” requires time to recuperate quietly before resuming her royal duties, is planning to attend next month’s Wimbledon tennis championships.
“We’re hopeful that the Princess of Wales will be able to present the trophies as the Club’s patron, but her health and recovery is the priority,” the England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club chair Debbie Jeans told Telegraph Sport on Thursday, adding: “We don’t know what we don’t know. All we’ve said is that we’ll work with her and give her as much flexibility as possible.”
Aside from Kate’s official statement earlier this month, Kensington Palace said late last month the princess “needs the space and the privacy to recover right now,” offering no timeline for her return.
“She will return to work when she has had the green light from doctors,” the palace added.
However, a source exclusively told Us Weekly in early June that Kate “may never come back in the role that people saw her in before” as her health is still of concern. Her team is “reevaluating what she’s going to be able to take on when she comes back.”