Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, shared an encouraging message to Andy Murray after his Wimbledon career came to an anticlimactic end.
“An incredible Wimbledon career comes to an end,” Middleton said, via a post shared on Instagram stories on Saturday. “You should be very proud @andymurray. On behalf of all of us, thank you!”
The Instagram story was set against a plain white backdrop, and signed with the letter “C,” the first initial of her full name. Middleton also shared the message on the official X (formerly Twitter) account belonging to The Prince and Princess of Wales.
Middleton, 42, has not yet attended a match at Wimbledon 2024, but she is a known fan of the tournament and was a royal fixture there for many years, previously attending every year but one since she married Prince William. She is a patron of Wimbledon’s All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (AELTC), and has previously enjoyed viewing the matches from the Royal Box with the Prince of Wales, and their children Prince George, 10, and Princess Charlotte, 9.
She has also presented the grand trophy to multiple Wimbledon champions, including Novak Djokovic, Elena Rybakina, and Marketa Vondrousova.
There continues to be speculation as to whether Middleton will attend the tournament this year amidst her cancer treatment, after she attended the annual Trooping of the Colour in June. Prior to her attendance at the King’s Birthday parade, Middleton shared a personal note on social media, saying that she “hope[d] to join a few public engagements over the summer,” but knew she was not “out of the woods yet,” in regards to her treatment. Though she has not been in attendance thus far, she is still showing her support via social media.
Murray’s Wimbledon career ended when Emma Raducanu, his mixed doubles partner, experienced issues with her right wrist and had to pull out of the competition before their first-round match.
Murray, 37, is a two-time Wimbledon champion, taking home the prize in 2013 and 2016. When he won back in 2013, he was the first British man in 77 years to claim the trophy. Murray is still set to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics, which begin later this month.
This is not the first time that Murray and Middleton have connected on social media—or in real life. The Princess of Wales reportedly shared a handwritten note when Murray won the championship in 2013, and they have been in contact since. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the two surprised young tennis fans on a video call on what was supposed to be the last weekend of Wimbledon.