Kate Channels Jackie O in Gucci Mini Dress for V & A Museum Exhibition Road Opening!

The Duchess of Cambridge visited the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) to officially open the museum's new entrance, courtyard and exhibition gallery on Exhibition Road.

The V&A Exhibition Road Quarter is the V&A’s largest architectural project in the last 100 years, designed by British architect Amanda Levete. The project has created new public areas and gallery space for London, transforming the experience of the V&A for visitors, and revealing the historic facades of the Museum's existing Grade I buildings for the first time. A new public entrance to the V&A has been created on Exhibition Road, reconnecting the V&A with its neighbouring museums and institutions founded on the vision of Albertopolis, following the Great Exhibition of 1851.

Kate chatting with director Tristram Hunt.

The Duchess received a beautiful posy from Tristram Hunt's six-year-old daughter Lydia.

Apart from the excitement surrounding the opening as director, Mr. Hunt was also a very proud father today.

A smiling Kate met staff before entering the museum.

The project has been in the works for some time and there's been enormous excitement ahead of the unveiling.

The new entrance leads visitors through the historic Aston Webb Screen into the world’s first porcelain tiled courtyard, which floats above a new column-free gallery that will host the V&A’s world-class exhibition programme.

The Guardian describes the £55 million new courtyard "Like a Marbella beach airlifted to South Ken". The article continues "A blinding sheet of white light bursts through the stone colonnade of the V&A, casting a glow across the grey paving stones of Exhibition Road. Catching the sunlight on its 11,000 handmade porcelain tiles, the museum’s new courtyard seems to burn with a molten luminosity, signalling the climax of its most ambitious building project in a century."

A peek inside...

A hidden gem comes in the form of a gaping 1,100 square metre gallery.

Take a look at the project from infancy to completion in this video spanning four years.

Kate toured the V&A Exhibition Road Quarter's new spaces, and heard about the design and unique features of the building.

Kate visited The Sainsbury Gallery which will host temporary site-specific installations for the opening, including immersive sound and light works by artist Simon Heijdens and viol player Liam Byrne, as well as industrial designer Jonathan Olivares’ Aluminium Bench, a twelve-metre long bench which curves throughout the space.

The Duchess attended a short reception in The Blavatnik Hall to meet guests involved in the project's delivery.

Mingling with guests.

Kate signed the guest book.

Kate unveiled a commemorative plaque in The Sackler Courtyard to officially mark the opening. The Sackler is the world’s first porcelain tiled public courtyard.

Kate's visit precedes REVEAL, a free, week-long public festival running from tomorrow celebrating the opening of the new entrance. To celebrate these new spaces, the V&A will be inviting the public to explore the V&A Exhibition Road Quarter’s unique combination of heritage, modernity and technology with a series of events that bring the architecture and collections to life.

The V&A holds the national collection of fashion, one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of dress in the world. Their holdings include beautiful garments worn by 20th-century royalty such as Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Queen Mary. The museum praised Kate's style crediting today's Gucci dress with demonstrating "the continuing influence of the 1960s." They shared a photo of Kate beside the dress shown below by André Courrèges which epitomises the clean lines and straight cut of the period, and is currently in display in Gallery 40.

More from the V & A:

"The Duchess of Cambridge’s effortless elegance tells a compelling story of British style, one that blends international designers alongside great British labels."

In 2015, the museum acquired a pair of L.K. Bennett Sledge Pumps. "When it became apparent that nude court heels were a wardrobe staple of the Duchess of Cambridge, sales rocketed. The popularity of the shoe showed that emulating royal fashion is a practice unchanged since at least Queen Henrietta Maria’s time. Kate Middleton favoured the high-street brand L.K. Bennett, but customers could pick up nude shoes by George at Asda for £12." Whilst it seems the Duchess has retired her pair - they are very much remember as a signature staple in her royal wardrobe. You can read more here.

Kate looked impeccably stylish in the Gucci Tweed Dress With Web (with thanks to Evangelina). It marks the first time the Duchess has worn clothing by the Italian luxury brand.

Made in Italy, the £1,790 cotton-blend mini dress comes in black and white light tweed with blue and red web trim and faux pearl embellishments that are topped with the label's iconic interlocking 'GG' logo. As of writing, the dress is available in several sizes at Gucci and Net-A-Porter.

Net-A-Porter

More from the product description:

'First developed by Gucci in the 50s, the Web instantly became the hallmark of a cultured club. Here it is used to frame the edges of this knee length dress. The GG pearl buttons are a new signature element of the brand. Made in a light soft tweed.'

A closer look at the garment.

Net-A-Porter

The dress is also available in 'Pink Wool Silk' as shown on the Gucci website.

Gucci

The dress has a very retro, 1960s feel to it - very much embodying the signature style of Jackie O. Bethan Holt reports:

'With its abbreviated length, tweed fabric and neat button and pocket detailling, the shift dress recalls the elegant look which Jackie Kennedy made her own in the early 1960s when she often wore pieces inspired by Coco Chanel's designs. That connection makes sense for Kate who has often nodded to Kennedy's style codes in her wardrobe choices, from her houndstooth skirt suit by Eponine London to her penchant for chic pillbox hats. '

Kate brought back her L.K. Bennett Art shoes today. You might recall Kate wore them for the couple's final pre-wedding engagement in 2011 before the wedding, with a navy Amanda Wakeley suit. The block heel works very well with the style of the dress today.

Another look at the shoes on Kate.

Kate's clutch is a customised version of the Emmy London Natasha.

And accessorised with her Annoushka pearls with Kiki McDonough hoops.

It's wonderful to see Kate embracing a more youthful style of dress. I thought the Gucci a splendid choice for the nature of the occasion. This was quite a formal engagement and because it began at midday it can prove rather tricky to choose a look that works for both the venue and as a suitable 'day dress'. It's interesting to see Kate's love of Italian brands expanding with the likes of Dolce & Gabbana and Gianvito Rossi now firm staples in her closet - will today's outing mark the start of a fashion relationship with Gucci? What do you think of the dress? It's a big win for me. I also quite liked the change in styling with the shoes and clutch not matching.

You can view a video below.

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Kensington Palace just announced the Duchess, Patron of the Natural History Museum, will attend the opening of the museum's spectacular new Hintze Hall on Thursday, 13 July. The launch event will recreate the sounds and scents of the ocean, to celebrate the museum's new star display – a diving blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling. During the launch event the Duchess will meet Sir Michael Dixon and Sir David Attenborough, and tour some of the new Wonder Bays including the blue marlin, where she will meet the curators and hear about ocean ecology and conservation. The Palace described this area as " a subject of particular interest for her."

If you're just joining us, you can view last night's post covering Kate's interview for a BBC documentary marking 90 years of Wimbledon here. Kate chats about her doctor banning her from the tournament in 2013, Carole's crush on Federer and the day Mike Middleton left her feeling "Mortified".

Thank you for reading :)

Kate Reveals Wimbledon "Was Part of My Growing Up", Carole's Crush on Federer & Royals to Attend Althorp Service for Diana!

In our last post, we looked back at Kate's relationship with Wimbleon ahead of her attending as Royal Patron for the first time on Monday. We discussed how the official role would see duties associated with the All England Tennis Club expand and vary from what we've previously seen. It would appear that is the very much the case as it has been revealed the Duchess gave an interview for a new documentary celebrating ninety years of Wimbledon.

I think one can safely say it's by far the most candid, fun and open interview Kate has given. It's full of delightful nuggets recounting Kate's fond memories of attending the tournament. Kate's passion for Wimbledon is abundantly evident, it's been a part of her life long before she became a member of the royal family.  More from The Mirror's article:

'The 35-year-old, who became patron of the All England Tennis Club last year, said: “I have watched Wimbledon, that was very much part of my growing up. “I was really taken by Agassi and Sampras, Ivanisevic and Steffi Graf. Those are my first memories. 

Kate also said she queued for hours to get into the tournament before joining the Royal Family, adding: “Being able to go into Wimbledon and be part of an amazing atmosphere is special.” She said: “It inspires young people including myself. Every time Wimbledon is on I am thinking ‘Yes, I could do the same’ and get out the racket. Sadly, not the same results.”

Kate's parents also adore the sport and the most insightful quotes come from the stories she shared about them.

'And recalling a Royal Box gaffe, she said: “My father is not going to appreciate this but we were walking past Tim Henman and had just seen Sampras play."My dad said ‘Hi Pete’. I was mortified.' 

We knew the Middleton ladies were fond of Roger Federer, however it seems Carole has a particular fondness for the 'Prince of Tennis' :)

'Roger [Federer] is my mother’s heartthrob. I don’t think she will mind me saying that! I think he probably knows that too.'

Kate also revealed she asked her doctor if she could attend the 2013 Wimbledon final when she was eight months pregnant but he told her 'definitely not'. More from the Mail Online:

'I was very heavily pregnant. I wrote to him [Murray] afterwards saying sorry for not being there.'

The BBC shares the following on the documentary which includes interviews with tennis greats including Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Billie Jean King, Virginia Wade, Rod Laver, Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and Andy Murray. "With The Championships celebrating 90 years of coverage on the BBC, Sue Barker sets off around the world in a special BBC One documentary to find out what is it about the green grass of Wimbledon that makes us all become tennis fans for two weeks every summer. On her travels Sue meets the men and women who have been instrumental in shaping the world's most prestigious and oldest tennis Championships. Legends. These are their stories as never told before, emotional and self-deprecating, revealing how their lives and careers were changed by the tournament."

BBC

Kate wore her red Armani suit for the interview. The Duchess debuted the suit in April when the young royals visited The Global Academy in support of Heads Together.

Made in Italy, the $848 single-breasted suit features a dart-seam front zip jacket, round collar and pencil skirt. The suit is from the Armani Collezioni line. Armani Collezioni provides made-to-measure tailored suits and workwear for both men and women. Armani is renowned for soft silhouettes and smart tailoring, and each and every detail in this collection is carefully chosen and constructed. Collezioni focuses on more wearable designs for the working man or woman, rather than the haute couture-inclined pieces of its parent brand Armani.

Armani

For those wishing to 'Repli-Kate' the look, the outstanding alternative by Tahari ASL remains available at Dillard's (with thanks to Kate's Closet). The $130 Stretch Crepe 2 Piece Skirt Suit incorporates many of the elements of Kate's Armani suit.

Dillard's

We can also see Kate wore her favourite Mirabelle Lolita earrings.

Mirabelle

Sue Barker: Our Wimbledon will screen on BBC1 on Sunday at 5.20pm.

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We also have several other updates to share. Earlier today, the Palace confirmed The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will attend a private service to re-dedicate the grave of Diana, Princess of Wales at Althorp House on Saturday 1 July. The service falls on what would have been her 56th birthday and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Prince George and Princess Charlotte will join their parents along with Diana's family including her brother Earl Spencer and her sisters. Prince Charles will not be in attendance - he will be in Canada with the Duchess of Cornwall. 

The 20th anniversary coincides with a project to 're-enhance' Diana's resting place. More from the Althorp website:

'Redesign of The Oval Lake Marks Initial Stage of Garden Project at Althorp, the Spencer Family’s historic English Estate, in the First Major Revamp of the Gardens in 350 Years. The Oval Lake where Diana, Princess of Wales, was laid to rest on September 6, 1997, is undergoing an extensive redesign to honour her memory. It will be completed in time for the 20th anniversary of her death, in August 2017.

The island is located at the centre of the Spencer family’s 500-year-old ancestral estate, Althorp, which spans 13,000 acres surrounding its walled 500-acre park. Althorp, located 70 miles from London in Northamptonshire, England, has been the Spencers’ historic home for the past 18 generations, since it was built in 1508. The island at Althorp is in the process of undergoing remodeling, along with other parts of Althorp’s gardens.

The ambitious project at Althorp, which Earl Spencer’s wife, Countess Spencer is leading, will constitute the first transformation of the historic grounds since they were originally designed 350 years ago by André Le Nôtre – King Louis XIV of France’s principal gardener who masterminded the gardens of Versailles.

While Althorp is open to the public in July, August and at other select times during the year, there is no public access to the island itself.'

It's important to note the service is private and will not be covered by the media. It's possible car arrival/departure photos may emerge. Several readers on social media asked why the Palace made the announcement. Peter Hunt shared this "Officials say they've made public a private service because it's the 20th ann of Diana's death and it would be difficult to keep it secret." and Richard Palmer tweeted "I guess they are announcing it so the nation knows they are paying tribute on the anniversary of her birthday."

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Royal reporters confirmed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the headquarters of the Secret Intelligence Service MI6 earlier today.

Richard Palmer Twitter Feed

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And finally, news Kate's Temperley London Cypre Frill Top is now available to purchase. The Duchess wore the piece in April for a Heads Together radio interview with BBC Radio 1.

The £395 'almond' top is described as "This slinky, fine-knit Temperley London top is detailed with a geometric pointelle design. Frilled ruffles trim the banded edges, and layered panels accent the chest. Long sleeves. Semi-sheer." It's available at multiple retailers including Net-A-Porter, ShopBop and the Temperley London website.

Temperley London

Net-A-Porter shares the following information "Temperley London's Pre-Fall '17 collection is inspired by Andrey Remnev's paintings of women in Renaissance-style clothing. This 'Cypre' sweater is finely spun with pointelle patterns that are as delicate and precise as lace. It's ruffled along the cuffs, hem and bust - the latter is placed to conceal your lingerie."

Temperley London

The top also comes in black, dusty blue and cameo pink. The pretty dress version is now available on the Temperley London website.

Temperley London

We'll see you tomorrow for Kate's visit to the V & A museum.

Kate Loves: Wimbledon

Is there a more delightful sporting event than Wimbledon - the sporting occasion that heralds the height of summer? Next week, spectators from all over the world will descend upon the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club for what promises to be another fortnight of unforgettable tennis. A parade of glamorous style will be on display, 320,000 glasses of Pimm's (naturally) and 140,000 portions of English strawberries will be consumed. Steeped in tradition, it is the tournament almost every player wants to win most, and it is also the only tennis major played on grass, with players donning white, precisely as they did a century ago. It is also the only Grand Slam tournament with a Royal Box and on Monday, with the first round underway, Wimbledon's new royal patron, the Duchess of Cambridge, will attend for the first time in her new role. Of course, Kate has been an avid tennis fan and keen player for years and years. Sightings of the Duchess in the Royal Box have become something of an annual tradition - a staple on the 'Kate calendar' which is guaranteed to continue growing thanks to the patronage. 

Join me, with a obligatory glass of Pimm's or whatever is at hand, as we take a look back at Kate's history with Wimbledon.

When William and Kate graduated from St Andrews the media and fans alike were eager to 'get to know' Prince William's love. Sightings at Wimbledon provided some of the earliest photo opportunities.

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A particularly memorable set of photos springs to mind, of Kate enjoying a dance with William and Harry's friend, Guy Pelly, at Richard Branson's pre-Wimbledon party at the Roof Gardens in 2006. Kate was clearly having a ball.

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Kate chatting with Sir Richard Branson.

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And enjoying the buffet...

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Kate takes in the skills of Rafa Nadal and Robin Soderling with a friend in 2007. 

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A stylish Kate attending the 2008 Championships in her white Issa Lucky Dress (you may remember Kate had the dress in multiple colours and it was around this time the brand began to become her 'signature') and Patrick Mavros earrings. Zimbabwean jeweller and sculptor Mavros creates works inspired by the natural world of his native Matabeleand and the tribal customs which accompany his culture. She was photographed wearing his £150 Ndoro Dangle Silver Earrings several times pre-engagement. Ndoros are Southern Africa's most striking totems of prestige and beauty. They are originally a sea shell which has been ground flat into their distinctive whirl shape. The sterling silver earrings feature five small dangling ndoros. I seem to recall a number of reports around the time claiming they were a gift from William.

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You'll notice the blonde lady beside Kate is Princess Charlotte's godmother Sophie Carter. Sophie and Kate are firm friends and she is a regular visitor to Anmer Hall along with the Meades. Described as "discreet and loyal", she was once in a relationship with another of Charlotte's godparents and one of William's closest friends - Thomas van Straubenzee. William and Kate have been said to engage in a spot of matchmaking, helping the former couple rekindle their flame by inviting them to the French Alps last year. Newly divorced Thomas was briefly married to Lady Melissa Percy.

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During the 2007 break up, attention on Kate reached fever pitch and subsequently continued. Despite the level of interest, Kate was still able to spend the day at Wimbledon relatively undisturbed. She was grateful for this, and so much so she penned a letter to the All England Club in July 2008. 

"My friend and I had such a fantastic time and it was great to be able to enjoy the day knowing we could have a little peace and quite (sic) if things got too hectic,” she wrote. It was a wonderfully relaxed day and we even spent part of it on the Henman/Murray Hill which was great fun. I really was not expecting to be looked after with such hospitality and I certainly was not expecting to see any of the Centre Court games.

Thank you so much for the wonderful seats. It was so special to see the end of Murray's game and Nadal's easy walk into the quarter finals. Thank you again for making it such a fun and enjoyable/easy visit.” The note, dated July 12, 2008 is signed "Best wishes, Catherine Middleton".

It is understood Kate granted officials permission to display the letter in a glass cabinet inside the All England Club's museum after the royal wedding.

Knowing Kate's love for the tournament, it was a certainty the newly-married Cambridges would spend at least one day at the Championships in 2011. The Royal couple gave Andy Murray a standing ovation after he stormed into the quarter finals with a straight-sets victory over Frenchman Richard Gasquet. It marked William's first visit to Wimbledon in 17 years. The couple even joined in a Mexican wave.

Kate opted for the fashion forward Temperley London Moriah dress, with classic waist-nipped shape, structured bodice, hand-embroidered straps and a tiered skirt. The white dress was the perfect choice for Kate's Wimbledon debut as Duchess of Cambridge. The dress was teamed with Kate's much-loved L.K. Bennett Sledge pumps.

The most talked about aspect of Kate's look was not her dress, however, it was her 'C' charm bracelet. The gold bracelet was a wedding gift from Kate's step-mother-in-law, the Duchess of Cornwall. The disc charm has Kate's monogram on one side, and Camilla's on the other. Both Cs are under a coronet, but Kate's C has an extra curl, while Camilla's is surrounded by a circle. If I'm not mistaken, Kate hasn't worn it publicly since.

In 2012, Kate selected her popular McQueen sailor dress from the 2011 Canada tour. Like many of the pieces the Duchess debuted during that tour it's a very versatile piece and has aged very well.

For the 2012 men's final between the 'Prince of Tennis' Roger Federer and Andy Murray, Kate was joined by her sister Pippa who is also an enormous fan of the sport (we now know she's actually good friends with Federer and he attended Pippa's wedding). Kate repeated a chic dress and jacket by Joseph.

Pippa wrote a column on Wimbledon for The Spectator:

'Ah, good old Wimbledon: a fortnight of rhythmic ball thumping, ooh-ing at Federer’s forehand, aah-ing at Djoko the elastic athlete, and praying against common sense for good weather and British success. Some foreigners can be sniffy about Wimbledon’s particular charms — all that Union Jack patriotism, excitement over strawberries and cream and English eccentricity. ‘Grass is for cows,’ said the Argentinian Guillermo Vilas, famously, a line still repeated by some Latin players who can’t handle the low bounce and quick pace of the green stuff. Well, moo to them. Wimbers is tennis at its best, the grandest of all slams, which is why I like to go every year, at least twice.'

Kate didn't attend in 2013 as she was in the final stage of her pregnancy with Prince George, but she made a stylish return in 2014 wearing her white Zimmerman 'Roamer Day' dress with a red scarf and Anya Hindmarch clutch.

The Duke and Duchess had a splendid afternoon - exchanging smiles and jokes throughout.

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Kate's parents Michael and Carole Middleton were also there that day. They are both regular visitors to the tournament.

Days later William and Kate were back in the Royal Box as Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic squared off for the men's final. William and Kate congratulated Novak after the match. During the chat the tennis star asked Kate about playing. "I'm slightly out of practice since having George," she said. Kate also revealed the two enjoy "competitive games", and when asked who wins most she said: "It's even."

Kate opted to inject a serious pop of colour into her Wimbledon wardrobe wearing her Jonathan Saunders Evelyn dress. The forest green, aqua and white print gives the garment a summery feel. It's from the designer's Pre-Fall 2012 collection and originally retailed for £840.

The Cambridges were court-side for men's quarter-finals in 2015.

Kate selected the vibrant red L.K. Bennett Cayla dress for the outing. The cardinal red dress featured a full skirt which falls below the knee, artfully placed seams and elbow length sleeves. It was around that time we saw the Duchess begin to favour longer dresses, particularly the midi length.

Those expressions...

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Kate was vibrant in her colour-block Roksanda dress (affectionately known as the 'Banana dress' thanks to William).

The visit was more 'official' than we had previously seen for  Kate. Before matches began, HRH met tournament officials, service personnel, ball boys and girls.

The Duchess took her seat in the royal box beside Gill Brook, wife of the chairman of the AELTC. Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Bee Gees singer Barry Gibb and Dame Maggie Smith were also in attendance. It's always interesting to see the variety of well-known faces there.

One of my favourite Wimbledon looks on Kate was the fabulous obsession print Alexander McQueen dress she wore in 2016 for the men's final. The eye-catching piece featured a jewel neckline, A-line silhouette, straight hem and nips in at the waist for a flattering silhouette. I thought it a great choice - it instantly stood out in the photos.

It was a tense match.

Come on Andy!

An emotional Andy Murray was victorious as he took the title in three straight sets. The couple had watched him fall at the final hurdle before, so they were undoubtedly delighted to see the British number one victorious.

A congratulatory chat with Andy quickly turned to the subject of babies. More from the Telegraph: "'After expressing delight at the straight-sets victory, the royal couple exchanged thoughts with Murray on parenthood - and the difference a good night's sleep can make. William joked: "I don’t know how you managed that with no sleep....How’s your daughter doing is she alright?" Murray responded with a smile: "Yeah she’s great yeah, she’s really good at sleeping. The last three nights she slept through." William said it must have been "a good omen." However, when Murray politely asked about the royal children, Kate responded: "No, today is about you.... you played so well, well done. "She later added that Murray "can relax with your family now".

In December, a rumour which had been doing the rounds for years finally came to fruition. News the Duchess of Cambridge would take over as patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, better known as Wimbledon was finally confirmed. The Queen has never been a lover of tennis and given Kate's history with the tournament, it's a patronage match made in heaven. At the time, the Telegraph reported:

'The Queen has been Patron of Wimbledon since 1952, the first year of her reign, though she is not a tennis fan and has only taken her place in the royal box a handful of times. Paying tribute to her years of service, Philip Brook, chairman of the AELTC said: "We would like to thank Her Majesty for her long and unwavering service to the Club and the Championships during her time as our Patron. We remain immensely proud of her role in the history of the Club and the Championships.

"We would like to welcome HRH the Duchess of Cambridge, who will take up the Queen’s former duties as our Patron, and also recognise with appreciation the ongoing contribution of HRH the Duke of Kent, who will continue his long-standing role as our President." The Duke of Kent is expected to continue presenting the singles trophies at Wimbledon, but the Duchess may be invited to present some of the trophies for doubles.'

On Monday, Kate will attend for the first time as Royal Patron. Compared to previous years, we'll see more official elements incorporated such as meeting those involved behind-the-scenes and of course the players and coaches. The tournament ends on 16 July and, as it isn't interfering with dates for the Germany/Poland tour, I anticipate we'll see Kate there at least twice. It promises to be another fortnight of spectacular tennis.

 No doubt ardent tennis fan Kate will ace her new role! :)