Prince William Competes in Polo Match as Kate Middleton Misses Event amid Wimbledon Appearance Speculation

The Prince of Wales is galloping into the weekend for a good cause

Prince William at the Royal Charity Polo Cup in Windsor, England on July 12, 2024. PHOTO: CHRIS JACKSON/GETTY

Prince William is hitting the pitch for a polo match that’s long been a staple on his summer calendar.

On Friday, July 12, the Prince of Wales, 42, trotted into the spotlight for the Out-Sourcing Inc. Royal Charity Polo Cup 2024 at Guards Polo Club in Windsor. The equestrian event raises funds for various charities and causes supported by Prince William and Kate Middleton. The match marked the 13th time William has participated in the charity polo tournament, which his cousin Peter Phillips attended with girlfriend Harriet Sperling.

Princess Kate, 42, supported Prince William on the sidelines of the charitable polo match last year, where she sipped champagne and congratulated William with a rare public kiss during the prize presentation. However, she wasn’t at the match on Friday. The Princess of Wales has been mostly out of the spotlight this year after announcing in March that she is undergoing treatment for cancer.

Princess Kate made her first public appearance of 2024 at Trooping the Colour on June 15, stepping out with her family at King Charles’ official birthday parade. At the time, palace aides emphasized that the princess’ presence at the event did not signal a return to public life. No date is set for when the Princess of Wales will fully return to royal work.

Prince William at the Royal Charity Polo Cup in Windsor, England on July 12, 2024.SAMIR HUSSEIN/WIREIMAGE

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Prince William and Princess Kate are known to share a passion for sports, reflected in pursuits including the Royal Charity Polo Cup and Kate’s patronage of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. The job comes with the honor of distributing trophies at Wimbledon, and the tennis club’s chair previously expressed hope that Princess Kate will present prizes at the championships this weekend.

Avid tennis player Kate has attended Wimbledon nearly every year since she married William in 2011, excluding the 2013 matches shortly before the birth of Prince George, and received the patronage of the prestigious All England Club from Queen Elizabeth in 2016.

Prince William at the Royal Charity Polo Cup in Windsor, England on July 12, 2024.CHRIS JACKSON/GETTY

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“We’re hopeful that the Princess of Wales will be able to present the trophies as the Club’s patron, but her health and recovery is the priority,” All England Club chair Debbie Jevans told Telegraph Sport in a story published on June 27.

“We don’t know what we don’t know. All we’ve said is that we’ll work with her and give her as much flexibility as possible,” Jevans said.

SHI TANG/GETTY

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Princess Kate confirmed her plans to attend Trooping the Colour last month in a personal message issued the day prior, where she expressed her “hope” to attend some public events this summer.

“I’m looking forward to attending the King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to join a few public engagements over the summer, but equally knowing I am not out of the woods yet,” she said in part in a message released on June 14.