Prince George made his first trip to Wimbledon for the men’s final. It was hot – the beginning of England’s heatwave – and his mother made him dress up like a little banker in a suit and tie. I said at the time that I would not have had a problem with the Duchess of Cambridge taking George to Wimbledon in general, but let him be a kid about it. Take him to one of the outer courts to watch a British player. Let him wear a polo shirt and a shorts if it’s hot. Alas, Kate and William decided the optics of George-in-a-suit in the Royal Box were too good to pass up. As it turns out, George is a tennis fan and he even has a favorite player. Buckingham Palace didn’t want people to report on it though:
What might have been the first recorded public statement from Prince George (future king of this country; third in line to the throne) was given this weekend – and then almost immediately hushed up.
During a pool interview on Sunday, someone asked Prince George on camera who he wanted to win the tennis. George replied “Djokovic”.
Buckingham Palace then asked reporters not to use it.
[From Pop Bitch via Gawker]
George actually said he was rooting for Novak Djokovic on-camera, when Kate introduced George to some of the AELTC officials when they arrived. Then, also on-camera, George seemed very pleased to greet Djokovic after the match – George gave him a thumbs up and wanted to talk to Novak. I said before that I think Prince William is a Djokovic fan, while Kate is definitely a ride-or-die Roger Federer fan. It makes sense (to me) that George would like Novak, especially if George is watching matches with his dad. I suspect that if the palace tried to get people to leave out George’s comments, it would be for political reasons. Like, say, Novak’s anti-vaccine statements and stances. I seriously doubt George would even know about that stuff though, he just likes an athlete. It’s fine.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Backgrid.
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- Jul 10, 2022; London, England, United Kingdom; Prince William biting his nails while sitting between his parents William and Kate in the Royal Box watching Nick Kyrgios (AUS) return a shot during his men’s singles final against Novak Djokovic (SRB) on Centre court at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.,Image: 706426802, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights, Model Release: no, Credit line: Peter van den Berg / Avalon
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- Jul 10, 2022; London, England, United Kingdom; Prince William sitting between his parents William and Kate in the Royal Box watching Nick Kyrgios (AUS) return a shot during his men’s singles final against Novak Djokovic (SRB) on Centre court at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.,Image: 706426826, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights, Model Release: no, Credit line: Peter van den Berg / Avalon
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- London, UNITED KINGDOM – Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends The Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 10, 2022 in London, England. Pictured: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton BACKGRID USA 10 JULY 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- London, UNITED KINGDOM – Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends The Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 10, 2022 in London, England. Pictured: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge BACKGRID USA 10 JULY 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Wimbledon, UNITED KINGDOM – Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends The Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 10, 2022 in London, England. Pictured: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge BACKGRID USA 10 JULY 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Wimbledon, UNITED KINGDOM – The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George attend the Men’s finals day of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon, London. Pictured: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince George BACKGRID USA 10 JULY 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- 10 July 2022, Great Britain, London: Tennis: Grand Slam/ATP Tour – Wimbledon, Singles, Men, Final. Djokovic (Serbia) – Kyrgios (Australia). Kate (l-r), Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince George sit in the royal box at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Photo: Frank Molter/dpa Where: London, Great Britain When: 10 Jul 2022 Credit: Frank Molter/DPA/Cover Images **ONLY AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE UK AND USA**
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- 10 July 2022, Great Britain, London: Tennis: Grand Slam/ATP Tour – Wimbledon, Singles, Men, Final. Kate (l-r), Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, sitting in the royal box at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Photo: Frank Molter/dpa Where: London, Great Britain When: 10 Jul 2022 Credit: Frank Molter/DPA/Cover Images **ONLY AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE UK AND USA**
I know for a fact I wouldn’t want my child in the same room, let alone face to face with a anti vaxx nut job. Pandemic or no.
But that’s just me.
+1
Let the kid like the player, for God’s sake! Believe me, I can dislike Novaxx enough for the both of us!
Rafa all the way! VAMOOOOOOSSSS!
I would have been very surprised if George had said Kyrigos considering his parents’ feelings about non-white people. Perhaps BP didn’t want people to know that George was rooting against a player from the Commonwealth. William and Kate got some flack from Australian tennis fans who felt they were rooting for Pliskova against Barty last year.
I’m surprised that Fashion Barbie didn’t get flack from the Australians this year for walking out on the men’s double final. It was so obvious that she’d gone because there was no longera huge flash of yellow in the royal box.
Staying would have been great PR for Kate and the BRF, as it would have promoted the image that they care about Australia and their place in the commonwealth. Also, as patron of Wimbledon surely she should have felt obligated to stay to hand over the trophy to the winners (regardless of which country they were competing for)?
Except that she’s lazy and clearly not too bright.
I would have been surprised if he had said Krygios because pretty much everyone was rooting against him that day. Not because he’s non-white, but he was being super annoying on court during the Final. He had to be bleeped during the match itself.
Even John McEnroe was criticizing him— not that John McEnroe has any place to judge.
The fact that everyone was cheering for Novak Djokovic (!) tells you how annoying everyone was finding Krygios to be.
Don’t forget Krygios was also charged with domestic assault in Australia during Wimbledon. Picking a favorite in that final was a real “lesser of two evils” proposition.
I think George is too young for this promotion as future king dressing him in a suit and treating him more special at his age it would not have the best effect on him he should be with friends his own age
Especially such a stuffy old man suit. If he had to wear a suit it could have been a lightweight linen summer suit more casual without a tie. William was much less fussy than poor George.
My mom and I attended several US Opens because I was a huge Martina fan. It didn’t have a negative impact on the person I grew up to be.
Well to be fair you weren’t on the cover of every British newspaper the next day
And you probably got to wear age and weather appropriate attire while trotted out. George was uncomfortable in that suit for the temperature and said so.
There’s a good way to ease young heirs into royal work/ appearances (see most of the continental European royals) but the Lamebridges did not do that. They basically went from 0 to 100 with it immediately and now you have a situation where the kids, especially the boys, often look uncomfortable, unsure, or bored, and the parents refuse to dress the kids in a way that is comfortable while still appropriate for the circumstances.
It’s still appalling that they made him wear that stuffy suit in the heat when they could have easily had him in an outfit that was much more weather-appropriate AND still fit the Royal Box dress code. But no, they had to prioritize optics over their child’s vocalized discomfort. Will and Kate are not good parents nor good people.
What gets me is that they are royal! It’s their box! If anyone can get the amended for a day surely it’s the FFK and his wife? It was a great promotion for the tournament that there were two future kings in attendance. Given the weather and George’s age I doubt anyone would have objected to the tournament waiving the rules on this occasion. The BM have flooded their sites with pictures of William with Diana in a suit, ignoring the pictures of them in the royal box where William is without a jacket and in a short sleeved shirt. Showing there is a precedence but, for some reason the Early Years expert chose to ignore it, and hid behind “the rules” excuse.
And apparently there is a rule that you need to be at least 12-years-old to sit in the royal box, so if his parents were happy to get that rule waived for George why not also allow him to wear something a little more comfortable? They dragged him out for a photo op to make themselves look better, with no regard for his comfort.
I am sorry, but I will be blunt: I doubt George will grow up to be the ” normal” person his parents claim to be raising him to be. I think he is shaping out to become a mini William and it is not like Kate or the Middletons influence will do him any favours.
William is clearly taking a more active interest in George´s life and despite all the previous negative covereage on how they were using George in their outings, Kate continues to force her son to play the part of ” mini William”, which means this is something both the parents agree…
they really do think ” preparing” George for his ” destiny” is all about photo opportunities.
and no, I do not think the end of the Monarchy will save George from becoming a titled jerk.
I hope I am wrong, but I think I am not.
I agree. It’s very naive and unrealistic to hope that any of those children will grow up to be ‘normal’. Between the influence of the Windsors and the Middletons, it’s a wrap for them. George always looks so uncomfortable when he’s brought out and I can see him eventually resenting his role/life the same way his father does.
None of those kids are going to grow up to be functional adults – just look at their parents. I will bet my last penny that Ma is singling out George for special treatment over his siblings and her other grand children.
These children are being raised the Middleton way – I have little hope for them.
None of them will be “normal” because both parents have no idea or want for that life.
Charles and William were not treated more special than the other children anne would accompany her brother I think William wanted to be treated more special so he and Kate are doing this with George and at an early age
George would have needed a mother who didn’t think the royal system was good as opposed to Kate who sacrificed her self respect to be a part of it. And then Carole is another desperate social climber who was willing to put all her kids in the way of rich titled men and have them cling despite being treated like garbage.
Throw in the generational trauma of the Windsors and these kids don’t have a real chance at being normal unless they get out of that environment.
So the media can be asked to not report something? But the “invisible contract” doesn’t exist and H&M are the ones who want to control the media?
Yeah, how ’bout that? I vaguely recall that early in Chuck & Diana’s marriage they were hounding Diana for photos, even caught coming out of a store where she bought a candy bar, & BP asked them to leave her alone, give her some space. Didn’t work, but BP did do that. BP just flat out wouldn’t do anything decent for Harry & Meghan.
@ equality, my opinion is that CopyKeen underestimated the backlash she received for forcing George to dress in such a manner in unforgivable heat. Wimbledon was weeks ago, yet NOW his comment is a problem? Complete lie!!! CopyKeen deflecting for forcing her son to dress as the ambassador of Wimbledon at 9.
There’s a reason that stories about heirs often have them growing up away from court, ignorant of their royal heritage, part of a family that is not their own. That reason is kings-in-waiting like William.
In medieval times aristocratic children were sent to live in other households to foster peace among powerful families. Royal heirs were sent to live with their nannies and tutors to be prepared for their future role.
Yep. But in many stories, as I said, heirs are sent elsewhere to keep them not merely safe, but humble. That’s the fictive narrative.
@Merricat, I’d never heard this before, and I’m fascinated!!
If they did not want the press reporting on him or what he said then he shouldn’t have been there. Simples.
This is walk back as his attendance didn’t get the good PR they thought it would.
It was surprising to see so many of the British papers have front cover photos and headlines of George looking uncomfortable in the heat. I don’t think they would’ve pulled such a move even a few months ago.
That’s my takeaway too. If they didn’t want his comments covered, he should not have attended.
I don’t think him liking Djokovic is a big deal, its clearly from his father who is a fan, and that’s pretty normal for kids (to like who their parents like.) but if BP didnt any comments like that used (maybe bc it was Djokovic in particular, maybe just bc they didn’t want it to seem like the royals had favorite players which is dumb bc we know they do), then George shouldn’t have been brought out like he was.
@ Becks1, again, we are seeing the invisible contract for the Lambridges that the Sussex’s did not have, and still do not, with regards to the protection of CopyKeen. Agree immensely that it’s common for a child to favor a famous figure that their parents favorite as well.
CopyKeen was blind sided for the unapologetic backlash forcing George to dress in such unforgiving heat. The BRF don’t care one iota that George was cheering for, but CopyKeen is creating deflection for a tournament that occurred many WEEKS ago! Yet, it is now an issue?
So a sweaty suit in a heatwave and shorts with knee socks in the winter..or has George aged out of the shorts requirement? A modernized institution for sure!
Yeah, that’s what I really don’t understand. We’ve seen — and reflexively shivered — those pictures of young boys wearing shorts in the winter, often as part of their school uniforms. Yet George couldn’t have worn shorts and one of the polo shirts that were newly designed for Wimbledon to watch a match in the heat?
I wonder if the issue is not the specific content of what he said, but that they don’t want George, as a minor, quoted in the press about anything specific? If so, I can see that. It must be incredibly confusing for George and the press to have him alternately pushed forward and pulled back — with so little consistency.
Yeah, so much better not to mention Georges favorite so they can all report on how inappropriate it was to bring him in a suit in the heat in the first place.
Diana was raised as a blue blood and had the confidence to look at traditions and throw out any than she didn’t want for her own children. Midddleclass doesn’t have that background or confidence so if William went to his first Wimbledon in a suit it doesn’t matter how hot the weather, George is going to do the same.
What is going on with his shoes? If this is not photoshopped, why on earth is the front of the shoe is clownish?
I scrolled back up to see what you mean. OMG, William’s shoes! That left one in particular looks clownish. I never noticed that before!
@ Olivia, had you not pointed that out, I would have completely missed those clown shoes as well. And suede during summer too???
Who dresses him? He always looks ridiculously ill fitted and wrinkled unlike Kate’s forehead!!
I see the whole debate re suit on George as much ado about nothing. He does not appear to be in distress or soaked with sweat, nor does William or any of the other men in jackets behind them. Could he have worn something more comfortable, sure, but its hardly child abuse.
As soon as he walked in, his dad asked him if he was OK & George said something about being too hot. The kid was too hot & looked miserable sitting there in the sun for three hours.
George always looks miserable.
Well, you also have to be 12 to be in the royal box and he’s about to turn 9.
And a jacket is the dress code, not a full suit. William wasn’t even wearing a full suit and looked more comfortable.
kate is wearing a light short sleeved dress while poor George is stuck in a suit and tie.
@MY3CENTS: That’s what got me. She’s comfortable but her nine year-old child is not. But she’s the perfect mother. Yeah, right.
Looking at the top picture, all I can see is how TALL George is! If you put him up on the step so he’s standing level with Kate, and remove Kate’s heels, he’s getting close to her height. It’s not surprising since both of his parents are tall, but I guess I’m surprised that he’s already this tall at only nine.
Poor kid. He always looks so sad. I hope that somehow, against *all* odds, he turns out okay (meaning, not like either of his grotesque parents).