Princess Charlotte made headlines this week as she defied royal norms during a meet-and-greet with Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon, showcasing her playful spirit and independence. Along with her was her mother, the new Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, who mostly stole the show and dominated the event. Middleton, a patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, presented Sinner with his winner’s trophy after his victory against Carlos Alcaraz in the Gentlemen’s Singles Final on July 2, 2025.
In a sweet display of familial bond, Princess Charlotte repeated her mother’s kiss. She was all smiles as she played with Sinner, who was just as excited to meet the young royal. This meeting was a special and delightful connection. It represented a new chapter in the younger royals’ role in public life.
Celebrating British Sport
On July 4, 2025, Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte attended a “Best of British Sport” Lunch at Wimbledon, hosted by Emirates. The event brought together sporting legends including Sir Ben Ainslie, Hannah Mills, Dylan Fletcher, Nicola Adams, and Sir Steve Redgrave. We spoke with Ainslie, a four-time Olympic champion sailor, about the importance of events like these.
Ainslie continued, “What an incredible competition! As a patriotic Brit I’ve been absolutely delighted to see so much high performance success. The lunch was a tribute not just to tennis, but to the deep fabric of British sporting history and apology. Mills was enthusiastic about the day’s plans. She had already been brought into the fold by the royal family’s longstanding support of sailing for youth.
I’m a fan, a big one, and for many years in various roles, so it’s incredible to be just here. It’s been a record year for the Brits too, which is incredible,” said Mills.
Sailing Connections
Kate Middleton and sailing have had a long, prolific relationship. As the royal patron of Ben Ainslie’s charity, the 1851 Trust, she uses that connection to inspire young people through sport. Ainslie reminisced about their time racing together on-board the Great Britain SailGP F50 foiling catamaran, during Plymouth’s SailGP in 2022.
She’s very passionate and we keep up to date on what’s going on with the sailing teams, Ainslie said. He lauded Middleton’s own sailing expertise, adding, “She’s an incredible sailor in her own right.” During the informal commonwealth race, he congratulated her technical ability. She deftly zipped the 60-foot long catamaran through the harbor, earning the applause of her veteran crew.
I didn’t have to give her any pointers. She was very in tune with the boat and fearless, as far as I saw,” Ainslie said.
A Memorable Wimbledon Experience
There’s no denying that this year’s Wimbledon has been all the more special, for those both watching and playing. The energy has been nothing short of electric, and folks from all over have been repeatedly blown away by the intimate beauty of this magical event. Nicola Adams remembered her first trip back to Wimbledon since competing in the Olympics in 2012.
I was here first in 2012 for the Olympics, watching Andy Murray play, said Adams. We’re so excited to have Chris back in the fold!
As the sun shone brightly on the tournament grounds, Princess Charlotte and Prince George exchanged pleasantries with Sinner, further illustrating the health of British sporting culture among the next generation of royals.
“There’s something so typically British about it, and all the international players all say how much they love Wimbledon too,” – Andy Allen.
