When the Princess of Wales recently traveled to Wimbledon to play tennis with Roger Federer, she had a great time. The Princess did more than that at the All England Tennis Club, though.
More behind-the-scenes photos of Catherine honing her ball-kid skills were shared on Sunday by the Prince and Princess of Wales and Wimbledon on their official Instagram accounts, and royal watchers couldn’t help but weigh in with their thoughts.
Photo: Thomas Lovelock / AELTC
The photos showed the mother-of-three practicing throwing and catching tennis balls while perfecting her posture for standing courtside while wearing clean tennis whites.
Alongside Roger, she was also seen hitting some balls and interacting with the Wimbledon ball kids. Catherine maintained a natural makeup look for the active day out, and her hair was neatly pulled back in a ponytail.
“The #Wimbledon Ball Boys and Girls play a crucial role in The Championships,” read the caption on the photos. We visited them after a day of training with @rogerfederer,” and royal admirers rushed to praise the Princess.
Photo: Thomas Lovelock / AELTC
“She looks like a tennis player; if we were not aware that she is a princess, we would have mistaken her as a tennis player,” one person wrote, summarizing the general opinion.
A second person added: “In a different life, I think the Princess of Wales could have been a successful sportswoman,” and a third person added: “She looks like a professional tennis player! Good to see her playing the sport she likes and that too with the best player out there!”
“Is there anything our Kate can’t do?” – a different person asked. “She resembles the pros more than they do.”
Photo: Thomas Lovestock / AELTC
For a short YouTube film to honor Wimbledon’s Ball Boys and Girls (BBGs) and the preparation required to become a BBG at The Championships, Catherine, a devoted tennis fan and patron of The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, teamed up with eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer.
Her Royal Highness is seen visiting the All England Club with the tennis champion to meet returning and potential BBGs and learn about their experiences in training for the role in the movie, which was filmed at Wimbledon in June.
In the movie, Catherine plays with Roger in a doubles rally on the No. 3 Court before joining the BBGs on the court for a practice session.
Photo: Getty Images
Together, Catherine, Roger, and the BBGs talk about the training program’s experience and the long-term effects of the acquired skills.
Roger said, “This is proper practice; I’m really impressed at how much effort and training goes into being a ball kid during The Championships,” while filming, expressing his own admiration for the Ball Boys and Girls. When I was 9 or 10 years old, I used to play ball in Basel, and as I’ve always said: “Once a ball kid, always a ball kid.”
Photo: Getty Images
“We’re extremely proud of the young people who devote so much time and effort to their role, which is crucial to delivering a successful Championships,” the statement continues. The 2023 Championships will run from July 3 through July 16.
