Ridiculous for Royals: Pippa and Carole Middleton snubbed after being rejected for…

Wimbledon is heating up with the looming quarter-finals and several top stars in action. First seed Novak Djokovic is on the hunt for a 21st Grand Slam title, while British hopeful Cameron Norrie aims for his first major. The British number one is the last home player left in the singles draw after Heather Watson was knocked out on Sunday. Whoever wins Wimbledon this year will likely be presented with the trophy by Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.

The The royal is expected to carry out the duty as part of her role as patron of the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club.

Besides her official duties, Kate is a huge tennis fan and has been a Wimbledon regular over the years, herself known to be handy with a racquet.

Her family have also been regulars in Centre Court’s Royal Box over the years, including her parents Carole and Michael, and her siblings, Pippa and James.

Etiquette at the SW19 venue means that the family should have access to the Royal Box, along with celebrities, tennis legends and other VIPs.

However, in 2017 Carole and Pippa sat outside the Royal Box, despite having been allowed into the exclusive area of the stands on previous occasions.

The mother and daughter were too late for Andy Murray’s fourth round match against Benoit Paire.

The pair took their seats and watched Murray close out the match in straight sets to seal a place in the quarter-finals.
Stewards covering the VIP area enforce a strict entry policy, meaning that stragglers are not allowed into the areas.

But the change of seating did not dampen the Middleton women’s spirits as they were pictured smiling and laughing.

Kate has also had her Wimbledon plans disrupted at previous editions of the championships.
In 2013, the Duchess missed Murray win the tournament, becoming the first British man to do so since Fred Perry in 1936.

Kate’s absence from Centre Court came as she was pregnant with Prince George and she was advised not to travel.

She told TV presenter Sue Barker in BBC documentary, ‘Our Wimbledon’: “I was very heavily pregnant with George so I wasn’t able to turn up.”

Sue told the royal: “But you had a great excuse.

Kate replied: “I know but even still. I was sort of ‘Maybe I could go’ but the doctors were like ‘no.’

“I wrote to [Andy Murray] afterwards saying sorry for not being there, but huge congratulations.”

During the documentary, Kate also opened up further about her family’s Wimbledon experiences.

She revealed to Sue that her mother Carole has a secret crush on the competition’s eight-time champion Roger Federer.

She said: “I have watched Wimbledon, that was very much part of my growing up.

Roger is my mother’s heartthrob.

“I don’t think she will mind me saying that! I think he probably knows that too.”

Coverage of Wimbledon is shown live across the BBC this afternoon.