Kate Middleton Marks First Day Of Cancelled Wimbledon Tournament

The annual Wimbledon tennis tournament may have been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but that isn’t stopping the Duchess of Cambridge from honoring her beloved sport!

On Monday, Wimbledon shared a video to their social media accounts voiced by none other than Kate Middleton herself to mark what would have been the first day of the tournament.

“350 days, 14 hours and 12 minutes between the last ball hit and when the next was meant to be,” Kate, 38, said over video of the empty tennis courts. “Over the years your support has shaped this historic event. No matter the time of day or the names on the scoreboard, you have always been there, come rain or shine.”

The video then showed some of Wimbledon’s historic moments over the years, with Kate giving viewers a message of hope about the future of the event.

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“This year sadly though things are very different, but we will bide our time until we sit on the edge of our seats again and celebrate again. So, when the time is right and we open the gates, we will be back again and it will have been worth the wait.”

Kate was a longtime fan of tennis even before she became a member of the royal family, and has attended the Wimbledon tennis tournament for many years.

In 2019, the Duchess joined her sister Pippa and sister-in-law Meghan Markle to watch the ladies’ singles final! The previous year saw Meghan and Kate make their first joint appearance at the event, where they watched Meghan’s close friend Serena Williams hit the court.

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Wimbledon isn’t the only tradition the royals have put on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this month, Queen Elizabeth didn’t attend the horse racing event Royal Ascot for the first time in her 68 years as Queen, instead opting to watch from home.

Still, the monarch did make sure to honor the people who worked tirelessly to put on this year’s race! The Royal Ascot shared a message from the Queen as an introduction to the first day of races.

“I send my best wishes to the thousands of racing professionals and enthusiasts who will join me in celebrating this year’s Royal Ascot,” the message read in part. “In these challenging times, we are once again delighted to welcome the best horses and jockeys from across the world and pay tribute to those who have helped make this race meeting possible.”

Kate Middleton & Meghan Markle At Wimbledon 2018

Kate Middleton & Meghan Markle At Wimbledon 2018

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