The Princess of Wales surprised queuing fans at Wimbledon on Thursday, greeting members of the public and handing out tickets before taking a seat on Court 18. She even took card payments, then sat down to watch Briton Arthur Fery take on Finland’s Otto Virtanen in the second round. On either side of her sat All England Lawn Tennis Club chairwoman Deborah Jevans and former British tennis number one Tim Henman.
The unscheduled appearance offered a glimpse of the same hands-on, unpretentious approach that has defined her work away from the cameras. Since joining the Scouts as a volunteer in January 2012, Kate – who became joint president of the Scouts Association in 2020 – has maintained regular contact with the organisation, according to CEO Matt Hyde. He told the Mirror that she is “consistent with what you see in public” and that everyone around her remains “in awe”.
“Kate surprises Wimbledon fans, handing out tickets and taking a seat on Court 18”
Hyde said: “She’s fantastic at asking the right questions and listening to people. She’s naturally good at engaging with people of all ages. She really does bring the best out of young people, and she really wants to hear their stories.” He added that “she’s not afraid to muck in and get involved, and the children love that. Some of the younger ones have a view of what’s going to arrive as a princess, like a Disney princess or something like that, so that always takes a bit of getting used to.”
The CEO recalled a moment that showed her genuine commitment: after a session where children built a den with Kate, they wanted to test whether it was waterproof – “they made her go in there, and they were all there armed with water to check if it was going to go on top of them.” Hyde said the Scouts try to align discussions with her own interests, such as younger children and mental health, and she excels at posing the right questions to encourage youngsters to open up.
The Wimbledon visit, though impromptu, echoed that natural ease. The princess, a mother of three, seemed in her element among the crowd – handing out tickets, taking payments, and settling into the stands without fanfare.