Kate Middleton‘s 2026 debut at Wimbledon marked a first for the princess in three years.

The Princess of Wales, 44, is a regular at the London tennis tournament due to her love of athletics and role as the royal patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, where Wimbledon has been held since the 1870s. On July 2, the royal mom of three visited the line where tennis fans camped out overnight in hopes of scoring tickets before meeting with line volunteers, spending time with the Shine Camera Club and taking in some of the sporting action.

However, her latest outing marked the first time that she has attended the early rounds of the event since 2023. For the past two years, Kate has attended Wimbledon, but she only witnessed the finals — just the men’s singles final in 2024 and both the ladies’ and the men’s finals last year.

Princess Kate spent much of 2024 out of the public eye after announcing her cancer diagnosis that March. However, she did step out for a small number of events amid her treatment in the summer, including Trooping the Colour in June and the men’s finals match at Wimbledon the following month.

Princess Kate arrived at the 2024 finals with her daughter, Princess Charlotte, now 11, and sister, Pippa Middleton. As she made her way to her seat in the front row of the Royal Box at Centre Court, the crowd welcomed her with a standing ovation, leaving Kate visibly moved as she gave a smile and a wave.

Last year, the Princess of Wales expanded her Wimbledon appearances, stepping out for both singles finals on consecutive days. While she attended the women’s final solo, Prince William, Princess Charlotte and Prince George were all on hand for the gentlemen’s match.