Kate Middleton broke strict royal protocol during emotional moment with Wimbledon tennis player

The Princess of Wales once broke strict protocol during a tear-jerking moment at Wimbledon back in 2023, which many fans have praised her for.

The tennis tournament is set to come to a conclusion on Sunday (13 July), after two weeks of dramatic matches, celebrity appearances and viral moments.

And one thing that’s almost as synonymous with Wimbledon as strawberries and cream and the all-white dress code is the British royal family.

It wouldn’t be Wimbledon if you didn’t spot Kate Middleton looking as fashionable as ever in the royal box, or Prince William enthusiastically cheering on the players.

However, one moment that stood out to fans the most over the years was actually something Kate did that broke strict protocol.

It came while she was doing her duty as a patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club - a role she’s held for almost a decade.

Kate Middleton broke royal protocol for a very valid reason back in 2023 (Clive Brunskill / Getty Images)

As part of it, the Princess gets to get involved and traditionally hand out the winners and runners-up trophies.

In 2023, sporting fans will recall that Tunisian tennis star, Ons Jabeur, was struggling to keep it together after finishing as runner-up in two consecutive finals and losing to Marketa Vondrousova.

It was a tough time for the athlete, as she had also lost at the US Open Final that same year.

Seeing how visibly emotional Jabeur was getting, Kate stepped forward to speak to her and offer some support before opening her arms up to give her a hug.

This is very unusual for the royals, who usually shy away from hugging and instead expect the public to go for a bow or curtsy when meeting them.

Speaking about the moment last year, Jabeur recounted what happened and even shared what the Princess had said.

As per MailOnline, she said: “Obviously, she was very nice. She didn't know if she wanted to give me a hug or not. I told her hugs are always welcome from me.'

When she was asked what Kate had said, she revealed: 'Same thing after last year. To encourage me to be strong, to come back and win a Grand Slam, win a Wimbledon.'

The Princess hugged Wimbledon star Ons Jabeur after she lost the final and finished as runner-up two years in a row (Karwai Tang / Getty Images)

In another interview with Hello! Magazine, she lifted the lid on the supportive moment once again.

She told the publication: "She was really the nicest. She has watched me twice, losing the final twice. She kept asking me if she could hug me, and I was like, 'Who doesn't want a hug from a Princess, you know?'”

Jabeur added: "For me, it was such an amazing moment. And not just that, I felt her kindness and energy around me."

The stray from protocol for a moment of kindness of course went down well with fans, who have praised Kate for the move online.

One Twitter user wrote: “Lovely show of support for Ons by the Princess.”

While a second added: “This is why we love her. She’s kind but respectful.”

Meanwhile, a third chimed in with: “She will be an amazing Queen.”