On July 13, Prince William and Princess Kate were joined by Prince George and Princess Charlotte at Centre Court, cheering on Italy’s Jannik Sinner as he secured his first Wimbledon title with a four-set win over Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz.
The family of four looked relaxed and engaged during the match, with 11-year-old George and 10-year-old Charlotte taking in the spectacle from their front-row seats. But the moment was quickly overshadowed online by questions about where they were the day before — specifically, during the Women’s Singles final.
Kate attended the July 12 match alone, where she witnessed a dominant performance from Polish star Iga Świątek, who delivered the first women’s final double bagel in more than a century, defeating American Amanda Anisimova 6–0, 6–0. Kate later presented Świątek with the Venus Rosewater Dish — a duty she’s carried out since becoming patron of the All England Club in 2016.
While the women’s final also featured prominent guests including Billie Jean King, Cara Delevingne, and Welsh soprano Katherine Jenkins, William and the children were notably absent.
Social media weighs in: Where was Charlotte?
The family’s attendance at the men’s final — but not the women’s — has sparked backlash, especially among royal watchers online. Several Reddit threads and social media posts accused the royals of setting “a disappointing example” when it comes to supporting women’s sports.
“It’s always the same — they show up for the men’s final like clockwork, but skip the women’s,” one user wrote. Another questioned why Charlotte, a budding tennis fan herself, didn’t get the chance to attend the women’s match. “You’d think it would be meaningful to have her there, watching the best in the world,” they noted.
Some commentators speculated that if Princess Charlotte is taking tennis lessons, exposure to high-level women’s matches could be just as inspiring as the men’s game — especially given her mother’s long-standing role in the sport’s leadership.
William supports women’s football — but critics say it’s not consistent
In defence of the future King, others pointed out that Prince William has shown strong support for women’s football this summer. Just days before the Wimbledon final, he was seen in Zurich celebrating England’s Lionesses as they defeated the Netherlands 4–0 in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 group stage.
He also spent time with the squad during training camp at St. George’s Park and even joined young girls at a grassroots football session — handing out jerseys and taking part in drills alongside legends like Rachel Brown-Finnis and Kerry Davis.
Still, critics argue that public gestures like these must be consistent — not selective.
“The message matters,” one post read. “You can support women’s football and still fall short by not showing up for women’s tennis.”
As the debate continues, royal watchers will no doubt be paying close attention to how the family balances its public commitments in the future — and whether Princess Charlotte might eventually take her place alongside her mother as a role model for women in sport.
