Princess of Wales pays tribute to tennis player who played through cancer during Wimbledon meeting
Princess of Wales pays tribute to tennis player who played through cancer during Wimbledon meeting
Svar Nanan-Sen Mon, July 13, 2026 at 8:26 AM UTC
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Princess of Wales | Source: GETTY
The Princess of Wales described Canadian tennis player Gaby Dabrowski as "amazing" and "very inspirational" during a meeting at Wimbledon on Saturday, praising her for continuing to compete while undergoing breast cancer treatment.
Catherine, 44, watched both the women’s final and men’s final at SW19 over the weekend in her role as patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
During a conversation on the players' lawn, she told Dabrowski that "what she loves about sport is that you can still prove that your body is strong", even whilst battling cancer.
Dabrowski, who underwent treatment in 2024 and is now in remission, reflected on the exchange afterwards.
"She said it was very inspirational ... I feel the same about her story as well," the player said.
The pair also discussed Catherine's recent completion of the Three Peaks Challenge, during which she climbed Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon within 24 hours to raise funds for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and promote holistic healing.
Dabrowski said the Princess of Wales had emphasised how physical activity can help those facing illness.
"That's what [the Princess of Wales] was saying that what she loves about sport is that you can still prove that your body is strong, and so I think that was really cool to hear from her. I love that she loves her sport," Dabrowski explained.
Princess of Wales | Source: GETTY
The Canadian athlete, visibly moved by the encounter, added: "It was a very beautiful moment; I didn't expect to be emotional."
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Catherine also took time to comfort 12-year-old Thea Stach, who had performed the coin toss for the ladies' wheelchair singles final on No.1 Court.
The Princess knelt down to speak with Thea, who has cerebral palsy and autism and uses a wheelchair, as the youngster became overwhelmed by the occasion.
Thea's mother, Loi, said Catherine had complimented her daughter's outfit, noting "she loved Thea's skirt, and that she wished that she had worn her [tennis] skirt too".
Princess of Wales | Source: GETTY
Catherine received a standing ovation upon entering the Royal Box, where she was seated alongside AELTC chairman Deborah Jevans and tennis legend Martina Navratilova.
During the match, Navratilova passed the royal a handheld electric fan to combat the heat.
Linda Noskova claimed her maiden Wimbledon title with a 6-2 5-7 6-3 victory over Karolina Muchova.
The Princess of Wales then presented the Venus Rosewater Dish to the champion on Centre Court, where she was greeted with a wolf-whistle from the crowd that prompted widespread laughter.
Catherine wore a strawberry-red dress with a Wimbledon pin throughout the day's proceedings.
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