A diplomatic storm is brewing at Wimbledon as reports suggest Princess Kate might controversially skip the women’s final to avoid the potentially “awkwardness” of presenting the Venus Rosewater Dish to a Belarusian or Russian tennis player.
With World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who hasn’t dropped a set at the All England Club yet, bulldozing her way into the semifinals, the possibility of a politically charged trophy ceremony is very real.
Following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian athletes were initially banned from SW19 in 2022. While they’ve since been reinstated, the underlying tensions remain.
Minsk-born three-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka, 27, is not alone; she is joined in the quarterfinals by three other competitors from Russia: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Mirra Andreeva, and Liudmila Samsonova.
This is not the first time this has happened
If Sabalenka or any of those Russian players were to reach the Wimbledon final and either win or be runner-up, they would theoretically receive a trophy and engage in customary conversation with the Princess of Wales.
However, reports from the Daily Mail suggest such an occurrence could spark significant diplomatic issues for the Palace. Princess Kate would reportedly need direct guidance on how to interact with these athletes given the ongoing conflict.
The speculation surrounding Kate’s potential absence isn’t new. In 2023, the same scenario loomed as Sabalenka was cruising through her semifinal match, only to be eliminated by Ons Jabeur, seemingly averting a diplomatic headache.
Nevertheless, The Times had reported that year that Kate would have maintained tradition and presented the trophy regardless of the player’s nationality, despite the conflict. This suggests a shift in guidance, or perhaps heightened concerns, for 2025.
The question remains in the air
With four players from Russia or Belarus among the remaining eight quarterfinalists, the chances of this diplomatic tightrope walk are significant.
The suggestion of Kate attending the final but not presenting the trophies was reportedly dismissed, leaving the possibility that, if advised, she might bypass the final entirely. The world will be watching to see if royal tradition or diplomatic sensitivities prevail on Saturday’s Centre Court.
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