Kate Middleton Attending Wimbledon Men's Final Divides Fans After Skipping Women's Final

Kate Middleton is set to grace the Wimbledon men's singles final on Sunday amid her ongoing cancer battle.

The Princess of Wales' appearance at the event was previously in doubt due to her rare public sightings after announcing that she'd been diagnosed with cancer, but palace sources have confirmed that she'll be present.

Kate Middleton's attendance at the men's singles final would also give many a much-needed morale boost as she presents the trophy at the sporting event.

The Princess of Wales is expected to attend the Wimbledon men's singles final between Novak Djokovic and current champion Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday.

Her appearance at the event would be her second major outing since her Trooping the Colour parade outing in June. Event organizers were also not sure of her participation but shared that they were "hopeful" she'd at least make it for a match.

"We're hopeful that the Princess of Wales will be able to present the trophies as the Club's patron, but her health and recovery is the priority," All England Club chair Debbie Jevans told Telegraph Sport in June.

Kate has been a long-time fixture in the tournament and usually presents the trophy to the winner.

As if to make up for Kate's absence in the women's singles final, the Prince and Princess of Wales shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) celebrating Wimbledon women's champions from previous editions. However, several fans took to the comment section to decry that none of them were attending the event.

They shared videos of former lady champions recounting their experiences at Wimbledon. The clip featured six-time winner Billie Jean King, 1994 champion Conchita Martinez, 2021 champion Ash Barty, and other winners.

"Celebrating the Ladies Champions of @Wimbledon over the years today. The Championships are like no other and these legends of the game show exactly what it means to be a champion here," they wrote in the caption.

Some fans were left unimpressed as the royals didn't attend the women's singles final. "But nobody can be bothered to attend the women's final. Only the men's final matters, apparently," a fan wrote.

Another person wrote, "Instead of doing this maybe Will and or Kate could've gotten off of their lazy behinds and attended a Women's tennis match, but I guess that is just too much for them and it's not like they support women anyway."

Amid the criticisms, several were happy to see the royals acknowledge the female Wimbledon champions.

One person wrote, "Honoring the incredible legacy of Wimbledon's Ladies Champions! Their dedication and skill make The Championships truly special."

The future Queen commemorated British tennis icon Andy Murray over the end of his "Wimbledon career."

The former world number one and two-time singles champion at Wimbledon was forced to quit the tournament after his mixed doubles partner Emma Raducanu pulled out of their planned appearance due to "some stiffness" in her right wrist.

Kate wrote a message on the Kensington Palace Instagram Story saying, "An incredible Wimbledon career comes to an end. You should be so very proud @andymurray. On behalf of all of us, thank you!" signing off with her initial, "C."

Murray, who plans to retire later this year after the Paris 2024 Olympic games, was said to be "disappointed" that he could not play alongside Raducanu.

Kate delighted many when she attended the Trooping the Colour event. Wearing a stunning white outfit, she had a huge smile as she waved to the crowd with her family by her side.

According to experts, her return "was a timely and extremely beneficial show of unity for the monarchy after a very difficult few months."

"The images will go worldwide and will be extremely positive and be beneficial for the institution," said Richard Fitzwilliams, a royal commentator, per Insider.

"The late Queen used to say, 'I must be seen to be believed,' and it was most important that we saw Catherine on this occasion," Fitzwilliams added.

In a lengthy message confirming her appearance at the Trooping the Colour ceremony, Kate talked about her health challenges and how she has been coping with the treatment.

She said, "I have been blown away by all the kind messages of support and encouragement over the last couple of months. It really has made the world of difference to William and me and has helped us both through some of the harder times."

Kate continued, "I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days. On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well."

She then noted that it "is a joy" to engage in regular things on the days when she feels "well enough."

Kate said, "My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months. On the days I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home."