Emma Raducanu says it was ‘very nice’ to meet Princesses Kate and Charlotte at Wimbledon this year. The British tennis star revealed that it was her third meeting with Kate, the Princess of Wales, while it was the first time she had met Charlotte.
Princess Kate was making only her second public appearance since revealing in March that she was undergoing preventative treatment for cancer. She presented trophies to winner Carlos Alcaraz and runner-up Novak Djokovic after the men’s singles final.
Accompanying her mother was Princess Charlotte. The nine-year-old was pictured with Raducanu before the final, and was subsequently pictured shaking the hands of Alcaraz and Djokovic in heartwarming moments after the match.
Raducanu said of the meeting: “It was very nice to see Her Royal Highness again. I’ve met her twice before, and it was really nice to meet Charlotte as well, because I hadn’t before. It’s amazing to see her be such a champion of tennis and following all of us.”
Djokovic was also pleased to see Princess Kate in good spirits while she continues her preventative treatment for cancer. He said it had been a ‘privilege’ to be in the presence of the royal, who is a huge tennis fan.
“Yes, it was of course a privilege to be in her presence again. I’ve said to her that it is very nice to see her in good health. She seems to be in good health,” Djokovic said when asked about meeting Princess Kate.
“That’s obviously very positive news for everyone in this country but also for Wimbledon, for Championships to have Her Royal Highness here, of course with her family members. It’s amazing. It’s incredible support they’ve been giving over the years to this tournament.
“I know that she and her sister have played tennis for a very long time. So they truly respect, admire the game. They also understand tennis, which is great. It’s wonderful to have that kind of support from the Royal Family.”
Djokovic was beaten by Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final for the second year in a row. Following 20223’s dramatic five-setter, Alcaraz found this one much more comfortable and won in straight sets.
The Spaniard secured a 6-2 6-2 7-6 victory over Djokovic, whose preparation for the tournament was disrupted by knee surgery. Alcaraz has now won three Grand Slam titles in the last 12 months.