Carole and Michael Middleton don Wimbledon chic as they arrive at the tennis tournament
- The Princess of Wales' parents were seen arriving at the grounds this morning
- READ MORE: Kate opens up about her 'really difficult' cancer recovery as she meets with hospital patients
Carole and Michael Middleton were among today's smartly dressed attendees at Wimbledon as they attended the eighth day of the tennis championships.
The Princess of Wales's parents were seen arriving at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club grounds in London this morning, ready to watch a day of fast-paced action.
Kate, 43, herself always a style icon at the games, is yet to attend this year's tournament.
As the Daily Mail's Rebecca English reported last month, it is 'very likely' that the Princess will attend this year's tournament in her role as royal patron of the tennis club.
Today, Carole, 70, and Mike perfectly embraced Wimbledon chic with neutral tones, as Carol sported the £395 Helena Toffee Stripe dress from Beulah London, paired with sandals and a white bag from Osprey.
Michael, 76, meanwhile wore a smart suit with a blue shirt as a pop of colour for a summery look.
They will have much to look forward to at SW19 today, as Novak Djokovic is set to take on Australia's Alex de Minaur on centre court, before a match between Mirra Andreeva and Emma Navarro, with reigning men's world No.1 Jannik Sinner set to play Grigor Dimitrov to end the day.
Their appearance comes after Carole enjoyed a sweltering hot day at Royal Ascot last month - despite her eldest daughter deciding not to make an appearance at the event.
Carole and Michael Middleton were among today's smartly dressed attendees at Wimbledon
The Princess of Wales's parents were seen arriving at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club grounds in London this morning
Dressed in a stunning yellow lace frock, 70-year-old Carole channelled Molly-Mae Hague in her racing outfit from ME + EM as she chatted with her son-in-law, Prince William.
Meanwhile the Princess of Wales, who had been widely tipped to attend the races on the same day, appeared to have pulled out of her appearance at the last minute.
Carole appeared in good spirits despite her daughter's absence; instead enjoying some banter with the Prince of Wales and exploring the racecourse with her son James's wife, Alizee Thevenet.
Racegoers had been hoping to see the Princess after the Prince of Wales was named as one of the figures awarding race prizes during the second day of the meet.
Ascot officials had confirmed at 12pm that the Princess was due to be in the second carriage in the royal procession with William, in a published carriage list.
But less than half an hour later, Kensington Palace confirmed just before 12.30pm that Kate would not be attending - and a revised carriage list was published by Ascot.
Kate was said to be 'disappointed' at not attending the famous social and sporting occasion in Berkshire with her husband Prince William and the King and Queen, and is aiming to 'find the right balance' as she returns to engagements following treatment for cancer.
She has since returned to public-facing duties and opened up about her 'really difficult' cancer recovery on a visit to Colchester Hospital last week.
Carole, 70, and Mike perfectly embraced Wimbledon chic with neutral tones
For a summery look, Carole added a pair of sandals and a white bag
The Middletons' appearance today marks the first time this year they have joined the crowds at Wimbledon
The Princess of Wales herself is understood to be 'very likely' to attend this year's tournament at some point
Carol, 70, today wore the £395 Helena Toffee Stripe dress from Beulah London
Kate's cancer recovery video released in September highlighted how important her parents have been to her recovery.
It featured clips of her parents Michael and Carole Middleton playing cards with the couple and their three children, suggesting that the extended family had also played an important role in helping the Wales through their difficult time.
Sat around a dining room table, they were filmed playing a card game with their three excited grandchildren and William and Kate in another light-hearted moment.
The game was sweetly competitive as everyone raced to be the first to put their cards in the middle of the table.
Kate's parents were said to have spent months at her side following her diagnosis last year, with Carol reportedly supporting her daughter through her cancer treatment at her home in Windsor.
Kate's family - including her parents, sister Pippa and brother James - were also seen attending her Christmas Eve carol service in another show of support in December.
Carole and Michael have long been known for their hands-on parenting approach and often host their grandchildren for sleepovers.
During her visit to Colchester Hospital last week, Kate spoke of the pressure of putting on a 'brave face' through cancer treatment and recovery, where 'everybody expects you to be better - but that's not the case at all'.
Alizee Thevenet, wife of James Middleton, and Carole Middleton at Royal Ascot last month
Carole Middleton on day two of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire
Carole was pictured chatting to King Charles as they watched the races at Ascot last month
The Royal Ascot carriage list was published at 12pm with Kate included (left), then a revised version was issued just after 12.30pm (right) when it was announced she would not attend
Kate and Carole are pictured together at Royal Ascot in June 2017
Kate, who is continuing a slow and measured return to public life while in remission from cancer, said there was an expectation that patients 'crack on, get back to normal'.
But, she said, the 'very scary, very daunting experience' did not end with the conclusion of treatment, with patients needing to take time to find their 'new normal'.
She also revealed that she had tried acupuncture - a traditional Chinese medicine in which practitioners insert thin needles into specific parts of the body to promote healing and relieve pain - as part of her own recovery process.
The deeply personal words from the Princess came as she met fellow patients at a cancer wellbeing centre at Colchester Hospital, helping to plant roses in a garden designed to help visitors find peace.
The Princess, who in January announced she was in remission from a undisclosed form of cancer, recently cancelled an appearance at Royal Ascot, with aides stressing that she had always made clear her return to public life would be staggered.
Describing a cancer diagnosis as 'life changing' and the treatment and recovery a 'rollercoaster', the Princess spoke of the importance of a holistic 'mind, body and spirit' approach.
She repeatedly emphasised the importance of patients and their families being able to find support through their illness, saying it was too often difficult to reach.
Kate's parents played an important role in her recovery from cancer last year (pictured in the family video)
It featured clips of her parents Michael and Carole Middleton playing cards with the couple and their three children
Carole Middleton, Michael Middleton, James Middleton and Alizee Thevenet depart from the 'Together At Christmas' Carol Service at Westminster Abbey on December 06, 2024
Kate looked stunning in a smart Blazé Milano beige blazer with pinstripes, retailing at around £1,000, and matching Ralph Lauren shirt as she visited the RHS's Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital.
She added the Auree Bali birthstone necklace, with a gem marking her birth month of January.
The royal added tailored brown trousers and a black belt - while giving a more casual effect with rolled up sleeves and white Veja Esplar leather trainers - and adding her engagement ring and Cartier watch.
Speaking to patients and volunteers inside the centre, she said: 'There is a whole phase when you finish your treatment, everybody expects you to be better - go! But that's not the case at all.'
She said: 'You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment. Treatment's done, then it's like "I can crack on, get back to normal" but actually the phase afterwards is really difficult.
'You're not necessarily under the clinical team any longer but you're not able to function normally at home as you perhaps once used to.
'And actually someone to help talk you through that, show you and guide you through that sort of phase that comes after treatment I think is really valuable.'
She added: 'You have to find your new normal and that takes time.'
The Princess of Wales during a visit to the RHS's Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital
Kate opened up about her cancer recovery journey as she spoke with patients in the hospital's wellbeing centre
The princess, speaking to therapist Amanda Green during a walkabout in heavy rain afterwards, disclosed that she had not yet tried reflexology but had undergone acupuncture as part of her own health journey.
The visit offered the princess's most personal and extensive insight into her own experience to date, seeing her reference her own ill health several times while offering empathy to other patients and families.
'It's life-changing for anyone,' she said. 'Through first diagnosis or post treatment and things like that, it is a life-changing experience both for the patient but also for the families as well.
'And actually it sometimes goes unrecognised, you don't necessarily, particularly when it's the first time [of diagnosis], appreciate how much impact it is going to have.
'You have to find your new normal and that takes time… and it's a rollercoaster, it's not one smooth plane, which you expect it to be. But the reality is it's not, you go through hard times.
'And to have a place like this to have the support network, through creativity and singing or gardening whatever it might be is so valuable and it's great this community has it.
'It would be great if lots of communities had this kind of support.'
Speaking to patients, including those whose cancer has returned and one who had lost his husband to cancer, Catherine asked how the centre had helped them.
'That first-time diagnosis is a very scary journey,' she said, referring to the benefits of having an on-site hospital support network where many volunteers have had cancer themselves and survived. Many newly diagnosed patients at Colchester Hospital now visit the centre immediately for counselling and advice.
'To feel a sense of hope and positivity [from speaking to people who have already been through it] is such a positive thing in what is otherwise a very scary and daunting experience,' the princess said.
She added, 'Science has told us that the mind, body and spirit experience is so important,' asking if the clinical team at the hospital had given any feedback about how the wellness centre had affected patients.
