Last year, the Duchess of Sussex only attended one day of Wimbledon, the last Saturday of the fortnight. She and the Duchess of Cambridge attended the women’s final, only they had to wait to see it because the second men’s semifinal needed to be completed. Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal players for a few more hours (Djoko won, and he would go on to win the Slam) and then Meghan and Kate happily watched the women’s final, Serena Williams v. Angelique Kerber. Kerber won. Serena had played well the entire tournament but during the final, it was like all of her best shots abandoned her. Meghan was salty about her friend’s loss, I remember the cutaways during the trophy presentation – Meghan was near tears.
As I’ve said a few times now, here and on Twitter, I’m actually sort of worried that Serena won’t make it very far into the fortnight. She wasn’t playing well at all at the French Open (she went out in the third round) and the younger girls are sharks who smell blood in the water, you know? My point is that if Meghan is going to come out to support Serena during this fortnight, I hope Meg plans to come for an early round.
Meghan Markle is a supportive friend to her close pal, tennis pro Serena Williams. A source tells ET that the 37-year-old Duchess of Sussex is expected to take a break from her maternity leave to watch Williams compete at Wimbledon this year, which starts on July 1. Meghan gave birth to her first child with husband Prince Harry, son Archie, on May 6.
According to the source, the only thing that could keep Meghan from attending the annual tennis tournament is if “the baby keeps her home last minute.”
I’ve been hoping that we would get some kind of confirmation on Meghan’s attendance, just so Serena wouldn’t be asked about Meg in every single press conference (like she was last year). Serena almost always gets put on Center Court, so it would be easy for Meghan to make some time to sit in the Royal Box to watch her friend. Serena’s gotten to the point in her career where she’s pretty fast: she either loses fast or wins fast.
Meanwhile, we’ve got another confirmation for Meghan’s schedule. According to the British High Commissioner of South Africa, Meghan and Harry are due to travel there in October!!
Ooops: Sometimes high-ranking officials in the far-flung reaches of the old British Empire can’t wait to spill the tea when star royals like Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan of Sussex are scheduled to come calling. So it was Wednesday when Nigel Casey, the British High Commissioner in South Africa (meaning, he reps Queen Elizabeth II in the former British colony), held a press conference to mark the queen’s 93rd birthday and let slip that, hang on to your hats, Harry and Meghan will visit South Africa in October But will baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, by then only about four months old, be going with? Not clear so stayed tuned.
The news was posted by local media in South Africa and most definitely did not come from Buckingham Palace, which has steadfastly refused to comment about the Sussex travel plans despite leaks about those plans (will they go to Asia, too?) in the British media over the past week. Jacaranda News posted the news with a video of a delighted Casey at his press conference, predicting that the visit would be “great” for the economy of South Africa, one of the 50-plus nations in the Commonwealth.
“I predict a hat and frock buying frenzy…which could restore economic growth all on its own,” Casey joked. “We’re hugely looking forward to that and thanks in anticipation for that and all the support that I know we’re going to receive.”
I believe it? We’ve been hearing so much about this African tour/trip, I’m guessing it will be at least three weeks spent in at least four countries. And yes, my guess is that they’re going to take Archie. If Archie can’t come for some reason, my guess is that the trip would need to be rescheduled. There’s no way Meghan and Harry would leave their baby for anything more than one night.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
Can’t wait to see more Archie pictures.
I’m sure he will come but not to events. He’d be only seen in paparazzi photos if the stake out where they’re staying. Like Kate training with George on her shoulders.
They’ll bring him on and off the plane. The arrival and departures are part of these tours.
Me too. That baby is so cute
I think it’s not about them not being able to leave Archie behind. I think the primary concern should be if his vaccinations are up to date first for travelling?
^^This. That gorgeous baby’s health is the No 1 priority.
I hope she gets to see Serena in the later rounds, but nothing is a given these days.
As for the South African tour, the HC was very excited and confirmed basically what’s already been leaked. There’s no way they are leaving Archie behind. I predict they’ll have a base somewhere for him and his nanny.
I hadn’t heard any rumors of an Asian tour. Thought that was going to be the Cambridges.
She will attend an early match because like you said Serena has been shaky lately.
–I’m looking forward to hearing the details about the visit to African countries. My guess is that Meghan and Archie will be there for a portion of the trip, while Harry will do the bulk of the visit.
–It seems like Omid has the scoop on everything Meghan and Harry, so I will wait to see if he confirms the Wimbledon appearance.
–I’m so nervous for Serena. I really want her to get over this hump and win some more trophies!
Serena needs to start listening to Patrick, drop the entourage and focus on Tennis for the next two years. I also get the sense from her recent interviews that she feels the clock is running out on her on both ends i.e. more trophies v more babies….
I say she needs to focus and just do tennis for two more years to secure 2+ more trophies to hit the magical 25. No one and I mean no one (not even you Naomi) will be able to surpass her in the modern era…
I agree. I didn’t want to criticize her during the French Open, but I didn’t understand the need for a big fashion moment/reveal right before her match. Serena’s focus is all over the place sometimes. She just needs to get that hunger to win and fierceness back in her system.
Hi to Billie Jean King behind the Duchess in that photo!
I don’t think the Wimbledon appearance has been confirmed by an official source. Knowing the media they’ll falsely report that Meghan is supposed to be there then report that she “snubbed” Serena when Meghan doesn’t show up.
Meghan at Wimbledon and an African tour? This is a very good day.
For Meghan this is a break from her round the clock duties as a new mum and also a chance to see her friend play. Question for the royal experts – does this count as “work” for the other royals who attend? I’ve noticed in the past that sometimes attending film premieres and sitting in covetted seats at other popular events did in fact count as work – even if they had no ribbons to cut, etc.
Yes, these events are considered work for the royal family. Some of the royals are patrons of certain organizations (tennis, BAFTA, rugby, National Theatre, etc.), so they count those appearances just like they would a state visit or ribbon cutting at a hospital.
I have my opinion on what the royal family considers “work”, but I won’t get into that heated debate.
It may be considered an engagement or whatever but that doesn’t necessarily take her off official maternity leave. Remember Duchess of Cambridge (to whom all look to for protocol and duchessing) attended Wimbledon last year, but wasn’t officially off maternity leave until October.
I don’t believe that the “African Tour/Exile” is gonna be in October. Ebola is back and hitting the East part of Africa and Private Archie is too young. Maybe they will delay around end of Novemeber/December, he will be around 7-8 months.
I am really sorry for Serena and all the press being more interested to know about Meghan that her game. I hope she will do her best, it is clear to me that her body is not the perfect machina it was used to and between the aftermath of the childbirth and the re-training period, something is still off in her game. She is the best tennis player in the world and I do believe that she will retiring next year, if she can’t win anymore.
Meghan will probably come for the first part of Wimbledon and will leave the spotlight of the finals to Kate, which it’s her job as patron of the brit tennis association. Something tells me that if Meghan will be there for the female or male final, the racist press will start with new tour of abuse.
So sicks of this!
Ebola shouldn’t be a concern, because Africa is HUGE. If it were just in East Africa, that’s like saying they wouldn’t go to New York because there’s Ebola in Alaska.
Now, granted, Ebola has shown up in DRC and Uganda which are a lot closer, relatively speaking, but even those are couple thousand miles from South Africa.
If Meghan doesn’t go to Wimbledon, then she’s snubbing Kate or Serena. The press already got their headlines ready. I doubt we’ll see Archie on the tour that much. Those two are very protective of their son and I doubt we’ll we see him on her hip or seen like George was when the Cambridge’s went to Australia. That child has a fortress around him and good for them. The abuse and torment that his mother is subjected to is already bad enough and we already saw the racism little Archie was subjected too only days after birth. The little teases on Instagram are just fine.
How would she be snubbing Kate?
Her and Kate went last year together and I’m sure with all those reports of a feud, Meghan not going will be seen as proof of them feuding. The British Press are that predictable. I’m already seeing headlines about it. Personally, I don’t think she’s going and I’m sure the starved press will get mad about it since she’s the main attraction.
I think you have a valid point. The press will just twist it into something negative. Kate is patron too so if she skips it, they will claim it’s a snub to Kate. If she attends then they will twist it into her snubbing the Dotard during maternity leave but being able to make Wimbledon. Or she will be sneered at for hobnobbing with celebs like Serena. Or something something about her rings or protocol. Yep headlines are ready.
Don’t forget she’ll be accused of trying to steal the spot light from Kate, and Kate is going to be KWEEEEEN so Meghan should know her place.
It’s official: the Palace confirmed that little Archie will be on tour with Harry and Meghan. So happy!
Is Meghan going to watch poc tennis players only or does she watch non-poc tennis players, too? The headline might be slightly misleading in that respect.