Catherine, Princess of Wales, makes rare appearance at Wimbledon men's singles final

Catherine, Princess of Wales arrived at Wimbledon for the men's singles final clash between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.

Kate, 42, appeared at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on Sunday afternoon (about 10.50pm AEST) following weeks of speculation over her attendance.

The Princess of Wales attended the Wimbledon final with daughter Princess Charlotte and sister Pippa Middleton but without husband Prince William.

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It marks only Kate's second public appearance in 2024 amid her cancer battle but her beaming face in photos gave away her thrill at being back court-side.

"Great to be back at Wimbledon! There's nothing quite like The Championships," Kensington Palace posted on the royal's social media account.

The royal appeared a little emotional as huge cheers rang out as she arrived in the royal box, with an impromptu standing ovation taking place across centre court.

It didn't take long for the mum-of-three to pop into mum mode and hostess, given her role as royal patron, directing her nine-year-old daughter into the right chair and offering sister Pippa her seat.

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The Princess of Wales has been the patron of the All England Club since 2016 and has presented the trophies to winners of the Grand Slam in past years.

She did not hand out the trophy to women's single winner Barbora Krejcikova. Instead, it was presented by Wimbledon All-England Club chairwoman Debbie Jevans.

However, the mother and daughter duo did meet with Krejcikova inside the club, with the Wimbledon champ gifting Princess Charlotte her racquet.

Charlotte was also delighted to meet 21-year-old British tennis star Emma Radacanu, who presented Kate with a bouquet of flowers.

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Iconic photos of the royals at Wimbledon through the years

The pair also met wheelchair tennis player Lucy Shuker, with whom Charlotte exchanged a sweet pinky shake greeting.

After arriving at the hallowed tennis grounds, Kate and Charlotte first met with members of the Work at Wimbledon program, supporting young people from a range of backgrounds with roles at the tennis tournament.

The pair then made their way to centre court to watch the match, with Kate and Pippa both seen chatting and explaining elements of the game to the young princess.

The nine-year-old's outing was filled with animated expressions as she watched the at-times tense match, much like her younger brother Prince Louis has become famous for.

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The Princess of Wales wore a regal purple dress by London label Safiyaa, which she paired with nude sling backs by Camilla Elphick and an LK Bennett handbag in a matching hue.

Following Alcaraz's win over Djokovic, Kate took part in the trophy presentation.

Kate's appearance at Wimbledon comes as the royal continues treatment for cancer.

In June, the princess revealed she was making "good progress" with her treatment but was "not out of the woods yet" in her biggest update on her recovery since announcing her diagnosis in March 2024.

She made her royal return at Trooping the Colour last month, appearing alongside her children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis at the celebration in honour of the King's birthday.

The event marked the first time Kate had been seen in an official capacity in more than six months – the last was at Sandringham over Christmas.

Kate's time as a spectator at Wimbledon marked a very sporty week for the royals. William, Prince of Wales, is expected to attend the UEFA Euro Final in Berlin between England and Spain on Sunday evening 8pm (UK time).

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