Kate Middleton was welcomed with an exceptionally warm reception at Wimbledon over the weekend.
On Sunday, the Princess of Wales made a rare public appearance at the men’s singles final match between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic amid her ongoing cancer treatment, and upon taking her seat in the Royal Box with her daughter, Princess Charlotte, and sister, Pippa Middleton, she was greeted with a resounding applause from the audience.
It was clear that Middleton was touched by the sweet gesture, as she smiled and waved to the crowd—but according to lip reader Jeremy Freeman her response was even more heartwarming. Speaking with The Sun, Freeman claims Princess Kate graciously said “hi” to the spectators before turning to former tennis player Deborah Jevans who was seated next to her, gushing that the standing ovation was “so sweet.”
Meanwhile, Princess Charlotte adorably looked up at her mom, beaming with pride during the emotional moment.
The event marked Middleton’s second engagement since revealing her cancer diagnosis earlier this year. Last month, she announced plans to attend Trooping the Colour and “a few public engagements” over the summer as she continued her treatment, but it was uncertain whether or not she would make it to the annual tennis competition to hand out prizes.
Ultimately, Middleton was the one to present the trophy to winners—including, Carlos Alcaraz— following the match. She had Princess Charlotte by her side to help perform the honor, and told Alcaraz that they’re both big fans of his. “We’ve watched a lot on telly, so it’s great to finally get to meet you,” she told the tennis champ as he shook Charlotte’s hand.