Kate Middleton left ‘mortified’ by dad’s awkward comment during Wimbledon appearance

Even the Royal Family experiences awkward moments, as Kate Middleton once shared a cringeworthy story involving her father at Wimbledon. A well-known tennis fan, the Princess of Wales regularly attends the tournament and once opened up about a particularly embarrassing incident.

In the 2017 BBC documentary Our Wimbledon, hosted by longtime Wimbledon presenter Sue Barker, Kate revealed her love for tennis and shared a funny mix-up her dad made at the tournament. Sue interviewed various big names, including Kate and Prince William, during the program.

Kate recalled attending Wimbledon with her father, Michael Middleton, who mistakenly greeted British tennis player Tim Henman as American legend Pete Sampras. “We had just seen Sampras play,” Kate explained, “and my dad said very coolly, ‘Hi Pete.’ I was mortified!”

Sue Barker described Kate as gracious and warm during their meeting at Kensington Palace, admitting that the Princess even claimed she was nervous to ease the tension in the room. Kate’s natural charm and evident passion for tennis stood out.

Tennis has long been a family affair for the Middletons, who used to queue for Wimbledon tickets each year. The Princess’s anecdote highlights their deep enthusiasm for the sport, despite the occasional gaffe.

Kate isn’t the only Middleton to face a mishap at Wimbledon. In 2017, her sister Pippa and their mother Carole were denied access to the royal box for arriving late to a match.

Additionally, Pippa experienced another awkward moment when she was unintentionally snubbed by a tennis champion at last year’s event.