Kate surprises Wimbledon fans, hands out tickets at the Queue

Kate, Princess of Wales, spent part of Thursday at Wimbledon’s famous Queue, greeting fans who had been waiting since as early as 4am and helping stewards take payment and hand out tickets before moving on to a second-round match. Wearing a blue linen suit, she told at least two ticket recipients to “have a great time” as onlookers photographed her smiling and chatting with visitors.

The appearance was notable for where it happened as much as what she did. Rather than heading straight to the Royal Box, Kate sat on court 18, where she was seen with Tim Henman, the former Wimbledon semifinalist and All England Club board member. The stop on the fourth day of the Championships gave her a visible role in one of the tournament’s most recognisable rituals, a line that still allows spectators to buy premium tickets on the day of play.

That access system depends on stewards who manage the overnight and on-day sales queues and issue numbered Queue Cards to attendees. The Queue remains one of the few major sporting-event ticket systems where fans can still purchase top tickets on the day, making the exchange at the gate part of Wimbledon’s identity as much as the tennis itself. Kate joined the stewards in that process, taking payment and handing out tickets to fans gathered in Wimbledon Park.

The visit also reflected Kate’s long-standing role at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. She became patron in 2016, when Queen Elizabeth II stepped down from the post, and has since become one of the tournament’s most closely watched figures. Last year, she spent consecutive days at Centre Court presenting the women’s trophy to Iga Swiatek and the men’s trophy to Jannik Sinner, and she also comforted Amanda Anisimova after her 6-0, 6-0 defeat in the women’s final.

The palace said Kate was due to meet children from Shine Camera Club, a local program for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, extending the day beyond the symbolism of the Queue. At a tournament where formality is often concentrated in the Royal Box, the decision to work the line, talk to fans and sit among the crowd gave her visit a more open, less staged edge.