Following his play in his final Wimbledon match on Thursday, the Princess of Wales wrote a heartfelt ode to Andy Murray.
Catherine, who is undergoing cancer treatment, posted this unusual personal message: “An incredible #Wimbledon career comes to an end. You should be so very proud @andy_murray. On behalf of all of us, thank you! C.”
Photo: © Clive Brunskill
Andy was scheduled to compete in the mixed doubles alongside Emma Raducanu; however, on Saturday, Emma withdrew from the match due to “stiffness” in her wrist. Andy’s career at Wimbledon is over after he and his brother Jamie crashed out of their doubles match on Thursday. Jamie is also set to retire soon.
The Scottish tennis star was given an extremely moving tribute, complete with a montage of his career’s highlights, after his match. Family members and two of Andy’s daughters cheered him on, and everyone was seen becoming visibly emotional.
Sue Barker, who had come out of retirement for the momentous occasion, also conducted an interview with Andy. “Well, they’ve been waking me and my wife up at 5 a.m. for the last eight years, so they’ll continue doing that,” the tennis legend teased Andy after they had a conversation about what their father might have in store for him as he prepares to retire.
“The day following my back surgery, they started asking for piggybacks. Spending more time at home has been wonderful, and I look forward to that.”
Photo: © Francois Nel
The Princess is usually present at Wimbledon, but her cancer treatment has prevented her from going this year. The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) is sponsored by the royal, who also customarily gives the Wimbledon champion trophies.
Since she was a young child, Catherine has loved tennis, and the only Wimbledon she has ever missed was in 2013 while she was heavily pregnant with Prince George. In a 2017 BBC documentary, the royal said to Sue Barker, “I have watched Wimbledon; it was a big part of my upbringing. It’s such a classic aspect of the English summer, and I believe it truly inspires kids—I was inspired to play the game when I was younger, myself. What’s so great, in my opinion, is that it hasn’t changed either.”
Photo: © Getty Images
Catherine’s parents Michael and Carole were at Wimbledon on the fourth day of the competition, despite Catherine’s inability to attend this year. Carole wore a stunning summer dress with flowers on it, which she accessorized with a stylish white jacket with black buttons. Michael, meanwhile, looked put together in a navy blue jacket, yellow tie, and blue shirt.
