Back in Action? Senior Royal Confirmed for Wimbledon, Hopes Renewed That Kate Middleton Will Be Surprise Attendee

Catherine, Princess of Wales, "made a statement" with her June 15 Trooping the Colour royal return, but with Wimbledon kicking off, will HRH attend her favorite sporting event? That remains to be seen, however, one senior royal has been confirmed.

Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, is set to appear at Wimbledon on Wednesday, July 3. HRH will attend the President's Lunch hosted by the Lawn Tennis Association and subsequently watch the Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) in Wimbledon. Debbie Jevans, the chair of AELTC, previously mentioned that they are maintaining flexibility regarding who will present the trophies to this year's Wimbledon champions, which could signal a possible Kate cameo.

In a role typically performed by the future queen, Jevans offered an update on Kate by stating: "We're hopeful that the Princess of Wales will be able to present the trophies as the club’s patron, but her health and recovery is the priority. We don't know what we don’t know. All we've said is that we'll work with her and give her as much flexibility as possible."

The chairwoman added: "I don't know who would present the trophies as an alternative — that's something to consider nearer the time if necessary. We're staying flexible. When we hear, we’ll then think about what's the right thing to do."

Some feel that Her Royal Highness' continued absence from public life is testing the appeal of the monarchy.

"As we know from any superficial study of the British royal family, it’s the women who pull the show together, who get out there and make things happen," Diana, Princess of Wales' former private secretary Patrick Jephson shared. "So how fragile is the monarchy? Well, it’s as fragile as Catherine is, and at the moment, we don’t know."

With nothing but British kings set to reign well into the next century, Catherine, for many, represents a living, tangible link to the feminine empowerment of the second Elizabethan era (1952-2022), which Diana and Kate helped to shape at different periods.

"The intense public emotion that greeted Catherine’s brave appearance at Trooping underlined her crucial importance to the monarchy," Jephson continued. "Without her, the institution would surely be reduced to a shadow of itself. Given the Windsors' drastically thinned ranks, she is the crown's best hope by far. She combines duty and beauty with a piercing vulnerability second only to Prince William's mother."

The Sun reported on Kate's Wimbledon appearance.