Queen Elizabeth at Wimbledon after 33 Years

HM Queen Elizabeth II yesterday visited the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament, for the first time in thirty-three years.

The Queen spent several hours at the event, touring the grounds around ‘Murray Mount’ (or Aorangi Terrace, its proper name) and meeting some of today’s top tennis stars. Accompanied by the Wimbledon Club Chairman Tim Phillips, Queen Elizabeth met a group of ball boys and girls before watching a part of the club’s junior tennis initiative on Court 14.

She then went on to meet a parade of tennis starts including Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick, Serena and Venus Williams, Caroline Wozniacki and British hopeful Laura Robson, who later posted on her Twitter: “Just met the Queen. What an honour. I was so nervous, thought I would completely shank my curtsy.” Roger Federer also took delight in meeting HM, telling reporters, “It is a big honour for myself on a personal level.”

As the Queen took her seat on Centre Court in the Royal Box, she was joined by HRH the Duke of Kent, who is the President of the All England Club. As the two players entered the arena, both Murray and Nieminem bowed to the Queen – only she and HRH the Prince of Wales receive that honour on Wimbledon’s Centre Court. HM sat quietly while watching Murray defeat his opponent in straight sets.

The last time Queen Elizabeth attended a match at Wimbledon was on July 1st, 1977, when she presented Brit Virginia Wade with the Ladies’ Singles title. The previous two times she attended were in 1957 and 1962.

Filed under The United Kingdom
Tagged Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Sport, The Duke of Kent, Wimbledon.

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