Princess Kate may miss the 2025 Wimbledon final - Photo: LAPRESSE
Many speculate that Princess Kate may skip the 2025 Wimbledon women's singles final to avoid the "awkward" situation of having to present the championship trophy to a Belarusian or Russian player.
The possibility of a political awards ceremony is becoming very real, especially as world number one Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) cruises into the semi-finals without dropping a set at Wimbledon this year.
Following the conflict in Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian athletes were initially banned from competing at Wimbledon in 2022. Although the ban has since been lifted, underlying tensions remain.
The 27-year-old Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam champion, is not alone. Along with her, three other Russian players are in the quarter-finals, including Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Mirra Andreeva and Liudmila Samsonova.
If Sabalenka or any Russian player reaches the Wimbledon final and wins the title or is runner-up, they will theoretically receive the trophy and have the customary chat with the Princess of Wales.
However, reports from the Daily Mail suggest that such an event could cause serious diplomatic problems for the palace.
Accordingly, Princess Kate is said to need direct guidance on how to interact with these players in the context of the ongoing conflict.
Speculation about Kate's absence is not new. In 2023, a similar scenario threatened to emerge when Sabalenka was dominating the semi-finals. But she was eventually eliminated by Ons Jabeur, avoiding a diplomatic "headache".
However, The Times reported that year that Princess Kate would keep to tradition and present the trophy regardless of the player's nationality.
However, the British press is concerned that with four players from Russia or Belarus in the quarter-finals, the possibility of this sensitive diplomatic situation happening is very high.
A proposal for the Duchess of Cambridge to attend the final but not present the trophy has reportedly been rejected, leaving open the possibility that she may not be present at the final.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vi-sao-cong-nuong-kate-co-the-khong-du-khan-tran-chung-ket-wimbledon-20250709085959551.htm
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