Roger Federer Says Sitting with Kate Middleton at Wimbledon Was 'So Fun': 'I Know Her Quite Well'

Andy Murray joked from the court that the two were both 'royalty'

Roger Federer’s retired life includes courtside catchups with Kate Middleton!

The 41-year-old tennis legend, who retired from the sport in 2022, told The New York Times it was a treat to watch Wimbledon with the Princess of Wales last month.

“It was so fun sitting next to Princess Catherine. I know her quite well,” Federer said. “She is an avid tennis fan, and she plays herself.”

The retired athlete also gave a glimpse into what it’s like inside the Royal Box at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London during the elite tournament — don’t speak too loudly!

“Sometimes we have to be careful we don’t speak too much. You can talk, and then it’s super-quiet, and then you have to applaud,” he told the Times.

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Princess Kate and Federer sat front row in the Royal Box on July 4 during the men’s singles final — where they were surprised by a shoutout! Andy Murray joked that both were “royalty” during brief comments from the grass court after beating Ryan Peniston in the first round.

“It was amazing to have some royalty here but also some tennis royalty as well,” Murray said of what the win was like in a video shared by ESPN.

Princess Kate, 41, is a frequent fixture at the Grand Slam championship and has attended the Grand Slam competition almost every year since marrying Prince William in 2011. In 2016, Queen Elizabeth named her granddaughter-in-law — who is an avid tennis player herself! — patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

The patronage comes with a special pin in club colors as well as trophy-distributing duties. Kate presented Federer with the runner-up trophy for the Men’s Singles Final in 2019, which would prove to be the last Wimbledon prize of his career.

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Before the tennis tournament this year, the two teamed up for a special promotional video to get the excitement going. In a four-minute clip released in late June, Kate and Federer played a few sets on Wimbledon’s iconic grass courts and gave a behind-the-scenes look at all the hard work that goes into Wimbledon’s Ball Boys and Girls program.

After showing off her sporty skills with a racquet, Kate said she was impressed with the 250-strong team of youngsters who train for months for the big event.

"To see the training and the dedication and the amount of time that is put into the training and making sure this goes well on the day for the champions who are playing at Wimbledon... Yeah, it’s incredible to see it behind the scenes,” she said in the clip.

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The Princess of Wales later returned to watch Wimbledon towards the end of the tournament and sat courtside with Prince William,  Prince George, 10, and Princess Charlotte, 8, on July 16. While the little princess looked thrilled during her Wimbledon debut, Kate told an official 5-year-old Prince Louis was bummed he wasn’t there too.

According to Ella Ottway, who runs youth programs at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, the Princess of Wales said, “ ’Louis was very upset he wasn't coming today,’ ” PA News reported.

"It's Charlotte's first time, George came last year. They've been eagerly watching," Kate added of her two eldest children.

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