Prince William and Kate Middleton’s sweet gesture to Louis: Royals ask new Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner to sign a tennis ball for Prince Louis ‘so he doesn’t get upset’ after missing the SW19 final

The Princess of Wales sweetly asked Jannik Sinner to sign a tennis ball for Prince Louis after her youngest son missed out on the Wimbledon Men’s Final on Sunday.

Kate, 43, brought her two eldest children George, 11, and Charlotte, 10, to watch the final at SW19 from the Royal Box, alongside their father Prince William, 43.

However, Louis, who is only seven, was notably absent,  but his parents made sure not to leave him out.     

After Sinner’s triumphant defeat of two-time consecutive winner Carlos Alcaraz, Kate kindly asked Italian tennis player to sign a ball for her youngest son, so he ‘doesn’t get upset’.

Clearly keeping her youngest close to her heart, both literally and figuratively,  Kate accessorised her royal blue outfit with a 9ct gold pendant from Daniella Draper, complete with stunning gemstones.

The £3,000 pendant is not only a glamorous accessory; but a sweet tribute to Prince Louis as the gems are the birthstone for April – the month Louis was born.

In adorable footage taken after the game, George and Charlotte, who are said to be avid tennis fans, shook hands with the new men’s victor and told them it was ‘very nice to meet you.’

And in a touching moment of motherly love, the Princess of Wales made sure to ask Sinner to sign three tennis balls, with one extra for Prince Louis who was no doubt waiting keenly at home.

The royal laughed as she told the 23-year-old: ‘We’re taking one for their brother,’ to which William chimed in: ‘Louis will be upset otherwise.’

Louis’s older siblings politely thanked Sinner before their mother said: ‘huge congratulations’ and shook his hand.

Mother-of-three Kate has been patron of the All England Lawn and Tennis Club, also known as the AELTC (which organises the day-to-day running of the prestigious tournament), since 2016. 

The Princess looked radiant in a blue dress as she arrived at the All England Club for the second consecutive day yesterday – after presenting the trophy at the women’s final on Saturday.

Kate also wore her ‘Wimbledon bow’ – a brooch featuring the tournament’s iconic colours – which it’s believed she has worn every time she has visited Wimbledon.

She debuted her green and purple bow back in 2017, when she paired it with a white, short-sleeved dress.  

More than just a mere accessory, the Princess’s go-to Wimbledon brooch is actually a symbol of royal patronage, gifted to her from the Queen Elizabeth II.

The women’s 2025 final saw Iga Swiatek beat Amanda Asiminova 6-0, 6-0 in a match that lasted just under an hour.

 

Kate appeared overwhelmed upon arrival at the Royal Box on Centre Court and was welcomed by a huge chorus of cheers and a standing ovation.

It was reminiscent of the reception she received last year, when she chose the tennis tournament as her first solo outing after taking time away from public duty while being treated for cancer. 

Yesterday’s final saw Jannik Sinner take on Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz – of whom Princess Charlotte is known to be a fan. 

Charlotte delighted fans last year with her animated reactions as she watched her favourite player win the coveted trophy.

Throughout the nail-biting match, the young royal winced, cheered and beamed, as she watched the players compete for the prestigious title. 

Kate took over the role of patron in 2016 from the late Queen who had held the position for 64 years.

The accessory is worn by members of the Committee of Management during the Fortnight – the Main Board of the AELTC and representatives of the LTA. It signifies their responsibilities as the Committee governing the tournament.

The Patron has always traditionally been given a Committee bow in recognition of her role, which is why the Duchess has chosen to wear it when visiting The Championships.

Other individuals also given an honorary Committee bow are the Chief Executive.  

The present colours of dark green and purple were introduced in 1909 as the club’s previous colours, blue, yellow, red and green, were too similar to those of the Royal Marines.

The royal was praised for her Wimbledon outing on Saturday, after she consoled the tearful runner-up Amanda Asiminova who was thrashed by Iga Swiatek in the most one-sided Wimbledon final since 1911.

Kate placed her hand on the American’s arm and told her to ‘keep your head high’ following the 23-year-old’s 6-0, 6-0 loss on Centre Court in just 57 minutes. 

Anisimova had to briefly leave the court following her humbling at the hands of an inspired Swiatek, 24, as she recorded a double bagel scoreline in the women’s final – the first in 114 years and for only the second time in the tournament’s history.  

Anisimova said meeting Kate ‘was the positive of today’ and told how she had been ‘really kind’.  

Speaking after the match, she said: ‘It was such an honour to meet her.

‘I wasn’t sure if she was going to come out today, if she was going to be there, so it’s just really nice to see her.

‘She definitely had a few things to say that were making me emotional again.’ 

A tearful Anisimova wiped away tears during her post-match interview on court as she praised Swiatek and said she had ‘run out of gas a bit today’.

She was playing in her first Wimbledon final and said ‘she would never forget this experience’. 

Anisimova broke down again as she mentioned how her mother had flew in from America that morning to watch her.

 

‘Thank you for being here and breaking the superstition of not flying in – it isn’t why I lost here,’ she joked. 

Anisimova: ‘I know I didn’t have enough today but I will keep putting in the work and I hope to be back here one day.’ 

A victorious Swiatek, the first Polish woman to win Wimbledon, also offered words of encouragement to Anisimova. 

‘First I want to congratulate Amanda for an amazing two weeks. You should be proud of the work you are doing and I hope we will play more finals her,’ she said. 

‘I didn’t even dream, for me it was way too far. I feel like I am already an experienced player after winning the Slams before but I never expected this one. 

‘This year I really, really enjoyed it and feel I improved my form here.

‘I am always going to remember the opening of champagne bottles between serves! It is a sound that will keep me away at night!’ 

The only ever time there has been a 6-0, 6-0 scoreline in a Grand Slam final was in 1988 when Steffi Graf beat Natasha Zvereva in the French Open. 

For her appearance on Saturday, Kate donned a custom Self-Portrait white ensemble. The two-piece outfit featured a high collared, military-style belted top and a flowing midi skirt. 

Kate has worn designs from Self-Portrait on a number of occasions, including a 2023 Wimbledon appearance, where she wore a similar two-piece outfit, but that time, in green.

She finished the ensemble with a pair of Gianvito Rossi suede slingback heeled pumps in cream, and Anya Hindmarch’s Neeson Small Square Tote bag in cream, which retails for £950.

Her jewellery included a gold Halcyon Days bracelet and Cartier earrings.

She also gave a sweet nod to her husband Prince William, wearing what appeared to be her Cartier Bleu watch, which Prince William gave her as an anniversary gift in 2014.

Last year also saw Carlos Alcaraz in the final, which he won, beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets.

After leaving the court following the trophy ceremony, the princess and Alcaraz had a conversation in a room inside the tournament’s main stadium. ‘You played so well,’ Kate told him. ‘Enjoy the win.’