Saturday 13 July 2019

It's a Duchess Duo for Wimbledon Women's Final

It was a Double Duchess appearance for the Wimbledon women's final between Serena Williams and Simona Halep.


The Duchess arriving.

Embed from Getty Images

It marks Meghan's second appearance at the championships this year. She cheered on close friend Serena Williams on 4th July and returned today to see her compete for another singles title. The pair have been very close friends for years. Speaking about their friendship last week, Serena said: "She couldn’t be a better friend to me. Low moments, high moments, she’s always there, and that’s all I want to be to her."


Kate and Meghan were joined by Pippa Matthews, Kate's sister, in the Royal Box on Centre Court.


Serena Williams entered today's match knowing it could be a history-making day for her career. A win would have seen the American tennis star secure her 24th Grand Slam singles title, tying with Margaret Court, the only other player to have reached that number. Williams was also competing for her eighth Wimbledon singles title. On the other side of the court, Romanian player Simona Halep was ready to fight for her first singles title at the iconic tournament. After her French Open win in 2017, Halep has been striving for her next major victory. Ahead of the match she said: "I feel mentally strong. We will see what happens." Ahead of the final, Simona said she would love it if patron Kate attended the final.


Serena and Simona got straight into a fast paced game.


Last year, Kate and Meghan attended the women's final together for the first time. Kate had given birth to Louis less than three months previously, and it was just weeks after Harry and Meghan's wedding.


This year, Meghan is mom to two-month-old Archie. It's amazing how much can change in a year.


Enjoying the action in the first set.


An overview of Centre Court.


We saw some excellent shots of the trio chatting.


This is a great one of Meghan and Pippa. Meghan attended the evening reception of Pippa's wedding, and last year Pippa and her husband James Matthews attended the Sussexes' Windsor wedding.


Kate and Meghan talking during the match.


From the off, Halep took command of the game and displayed incredible tennis ability. She won in straight sets to secure her first Wimbledon title.


More from Wimbledon:

'History wastes no time listening to those who speak of what is likely to happen. History heeds only those who make it happen – and in the women’s final at Wimbledon 2019, Simona Halep wrote her own name large. The No.7 seed, whose name appeared on no one’s list of likely winners before The Championships began, became the first Romanian ever to win a Wimbledon title.
She stunned Serena Williams, the Centre Court crowd and almost everyone on Planet Tennis to triumph 6-2, 6-2 in just 55 minutes, with a display so resourceful, so near-flawless that there could be no answer.
Two-and-a-half long years after Williams secured her 23rd Grand Slam title at the 2017 Australian Open, this toweringly remarkable woman found she must wait still longer for the elusive 24th crown to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record.
Twelve months ago Angelique Kerber defied her here; few could envisage Halep stonewalling Williams again on the same court – yet she did. In this battle of the former world No.1s, history was written, and history was denied; and the whole was utterly thrilling.'

Applause from Kate, Meghan and Pippa.


Undoubtedly, Meghan was disappointed for Serena...


A really lovely moment when Kate put her arm around Meghan. The pair watched Serena lose in the final last year and I'm sure it was difficult for Meghan as they are so close. Perhaps the duchesses will be on hand to watch her claim the title next year?


An overview before Simona and Serena left the court.


On Sussex Royal Instagram they wrote: "Today, The Duchess of Sussex accompanied The Duchess of Cambridge, Patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) to the Ladies’ Singles Final. Congratulations to everyone who participated and helped make this such an iconic sporting event."


People reports:

'Williams said that having Meghan’s support and friendship “is great,” telling reporters during her post-match press conference: “She’s such a great friend and a great person as well. And always positive, no matter what.”
The tennis star continued, “It’s so good to have people like that, just to know,” adding that Meghan, 37, is “such a fan of the sport.”
“She too is happy for Simona,” Williams said of Meghan, who she first met in 2010. “She saw that she played unbelievably, and that’s just the kind of person that she is.”

It was 'Wimbledon White' with a vibrant splash of blue for the Duchess today.


Meghan wore the very pretty Hugo Boss Vesplisa Printed Georgette Skirt. The £350 piece is described as: "Printed with an abstract blue and black pattern, the white Vesplisa skirt by Boss is a graphic take on this season’s key midi style. Sitting high at the waist, this georgette design falls through crisply lined pleats to a swishing midi hem."


Meghan's Fashion suggests the Duchess wore the crisp white Givenchy shirt from the Endeavour Awards.


Meghan carried a Stella McCartney handbag.


The Duchess wore her Le Specs Black Tort Bandwagon sunglasses.


And her Jennifer Meyer turquoise earrings. The $395 earrings are described: "Jennifer Meyer's pieces are the perfect way to celebrate life events or mark important milestones. Handcrafted from polished 18-karat gold, these dainty earrings have a sleek rectangular shape that's inlaid with brilliant turquoise stones." They are available at Net-A-Porter.

For more information on what Kate and Pippa wore, click here to visit Duchess Kate.

We'll see Harry and Meghan for The Lion King premiere tomorrow.

58 comments:

  1. Great to see them together! Is this the same pleated skirt Meghan wore to a wedding last year? It looks really familiar. Go Serena!!!

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    1. That one was black, green, and pink, on white.

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    2. No. This one is Hugo Boss. The one from the wedding was Club Monaco.

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    3. I don't think it's the same one, Ivy. I think that one was a block design and this motif was more free-flowing. I wish we had seen a shot of Meghan from the back. The back looked amazing and quite dramatic on the model.

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    4. Ivy - I think that was a dress? -op

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  2. Quick ranking: Pippa; Meghan; Kate. Love the blue and white ruffle explosion. Wish Meghan had chosen another style of blouse; the wrinkly man’s shirt seems at odds with her skirt.
    Kate's dress is office-ready for a twenty-something on the prowl, sorry to say. That’s a very aggressive shade of green.

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    1. The shade of green compliments Wimbledon’s official colors.

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    2. To add my two cents greybirdk, it is extremely tight all around from top to bottom. It speaks winter in color to me. I do believe it needs to be retired. Meghan looks great and I love that she is out and about supporting her friend. At this particular time I do wish she would avoid waste bands. I know this particular skirt and do agree that a softer fabric in her blouse would have complimented the skirt better. It will be interesting to see what she wears on the red carpet tomorrow for the opening of Lion King. Pippa has been on a role and seems to have upped her game in her last few outings.

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    3. Meghan's outfit is very Carolina Herrera inspired to me. The crisp white shirt with the swishy skirt. I like it but I also like how they've styled it in the website's model.

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    4. Wimbledon green. Although not my favourite dress of Kate's, it was suitable for the occasion.

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    5. Anon 18:57 Agree. She looks wonderful and I find it perfect for what she was doing today. I do not like Pippa's dress but she looked nice and I am fine with Meghan's outfit.

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  3. Lovely to see Meghan laughing with Kate (and Pippa!). I love, love, love the skirt. I'm not sure about the shirt with it, though. It looks a little off as the shirt is a very bright white and the white in the skirt a little less so. How nice for us to be able to see Meghan today and tomorrow!

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    1. Zora from Prague13 July 2019 at 22:06

      I feel the same way about Meghan's outfit, Jennifer.
      Great to see the three ladies!

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    2. Agree the skirt is divine. The difference in the whites can be seen on the catalog model too. I don’t mind it.

      -Duch

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  4. It's a treat to see the three of them together! This was unexpected. I'm a little underwhelmed by everyone's outfit but I like Pippa's the best. Sitting down they look great and Meghan's relaxed ease tells me that they are used to each other in a good way. It's very nice that they came today

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    1. Looking back at some of last year’s photos they definitely look more at ease with each other, maybe having a third person helped, but probably just a natural progression since they know each other a year longer.

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    2. Also ... Pippa and Meghan are now both new moms, and Kate is the mom of the 3 little kids. As wonderful as motherhood can be it's also really overwhelming and it looked like the three of them were relieved having a
      "day off" so to speak.

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  5. Not a fan of the skirt and short combo. Other then that everything looks lovely!

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  6. Good to see pippa kate and meghan in one box that great the duchess kate dress looks good on her everything looks perfect love pippa dress too she seems a girly dress hmm duchess meghan looks good with the blouse and skirt

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  7. Meghan needs a simple cap sleeve blouse with darts.

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  8. Lovely to see Meghan. The skirt reminds me of the wonderful blue pleated skirt and matching top Meghan wore towards the end of the Australian tour, I believe. Some people went on about the apparent transparency of the skirt. the skirts are beautiful, and classic. As for the results of the game, it seems in line with how the entire women's tournament has gone this year at Wimbledon- all the top seeds have been defeated by the underdogs. Is this an indication of the changing of the guard? Who knows. Mind you, everyone thought that when Nadal beat Federer a decade ago. Hope this spurs Serena to recover her game, and Simona was amazing.

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  9. This skirt is a big no for me. She is very short waisted and this voluminous skirt sitting so high up on her waist makes her appear short and stubby.

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    1. Caroline in Montana15 July 2019 at 20:55

      I agree and its worse since she is flanked by pippa and kate. and the skirt and blouse don't go in my opinion. but it looks like they are having a nice time.

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  10. Loooove!! Megan is clearly a natural with The Middleton Girls! They all 3 have so much more in common than not, it's a natural for these 3 to have fun together. Methinks these 3 are forging a bond that will hold for all the decades to come! :) xx

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    1. Becca USA, you are so right that those three have a lot in common. And their ease with each other makes me realize that there is a lot of communication behind the scenes that "we" don't know about. It's crazy to be a fan of Meghan and Kate and to think they would "feud." The main reason I like both of them is because they appear to be very nice people. The secondary reasons are their causes, and that is why I enjoy their fashion and their families.

      It is very cool to see Martina pop up behind them! And Meghan looks so good; I'm not so fond of her outfit, but it looks much better when you see it in action. That is one complaint I have -- often when I don't like something Maghan or Kate wears, when I see it on video, it looks great! I guess I need to just wait before commenting. :)

      This really is such a nice set of events -- the christening, the watching polo (without chairs), and now out with Pippa. I envision future picnics with George/Charlotte/Louis, Archie/another sibling, Arthur/another sibling, and Eugenie's kids. With some action from Lena and Mia and Savannah and Ilsa!

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  11. Sigh. So close, Meghan. That blouse just doesn’t go with that skirt. I do like the skirt, but that style blouse she favors doesn’t favor her. :(

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  12. Just dawned on me that they all have babies around year 1 & under! :) xx Their values & priorities are similar, they share experiences with the BRF that only they can share & relate to with one another.... just makes me smile! :) xx

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  13. Quick bulletin.... I'm not noticing the fashion (other than they all look lovely!) I'm just loving watching them have fun together!! :) xx

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  14. I like Meghan's skirt, but I do agree, a different blouse would have worked better. They all look lovely anyway, I guess this is a fun outing 😊

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  15. Rita in Florida13 July 2019 at 17:15

    Greybirdk you read my mind. From a style perspective Pippa wins the day.

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  16. Another great post, Charlotte. Thank you!
    I imagine Meghan visited with Serena after the match, and helped her feel better about the day.
    I like Meghan's outfit. Love Pippa's gorgeous dress! Very appropriate and versatile.
    And isn't it fun to see tennis great Martina N. sitting in the second row?

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  17. A “girls” day out at Wimbledon. Very nice to see them enjoying tennis and the company of each other. History denied again for Serena but she remains one of the greatest tennis players ever. A delightful post. Thank you, Charlotte.

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  18. Meghan looked so young and fresh! I love her youthful, relaxed and summery look.It's a ten out of ten in my book.

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  19. The midi-length pleated skirt is a nice surprise. I like it with the tailored blouse. Everyone looks happy and relaxed. Thank you for putting this together so soon after the event ♥
    Bessie

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  20. I wish I could have seen Meghan's shoes. I hope she wore the black Deneuve flats.

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  21. Beautiful! Love the pictures of them all chatting and having fun.

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  22. The Duchess of Sussex looks beautiful and is glowing. Parthenia

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  23. Looks like everyone is having fun! What a delightful bit of BRF! Pippa looked lovely, I like Kate's repeat dress but I am not sure I like it here. I love Meghan's skirt but not the blouse; a nice white sleeveless shell would've been cute. I'm sure her body is still changing post partum, so perhaps she stuck with the shirt for comfort. Great to see everyone laughing and enjoying themselves. -op

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  24. Some quick thoughts...Love Pippa's dress, feminine, summery, I love multi blue prints. Meghan, the skirt is very pretty but I don't care for the heavy structured blouse with it. Seems like the blouse and skirt are at odds with each other. Kate, don't care for that dress at all, green, just too much green.

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  25. All three ladies look nice, but Pippa looks fantastic! Love her dress and hair. So nice she was included, and her presence takes some of the heat off of Meghan and Kate.

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  26. I adore that Stella McCartney bag!

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  27. Meghan looks professional and she shines the spotlight on the tennis match. I love the occasional, positive comments she and Serena put out about their great friendship. It’s important to see professional women support each other, as they do. Luv seeing Martina Navratilova, another pro!
    Renee

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  28. I see the change on the post! Thank you Charlotte! What a great outing and to see all three together is very special.

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  29. Pipa for the win today!:)

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  30. Sorry everyone, but ruffles like that are for.little girls party dresses. Not on an adult. Kate looks like shes had that dress altered to be tighter and went a bit too far. Love meghans skirt, agree about the shirt. I would have preferred a less bright white shirt maybe tied loosely at the waist. But I like the outfit.

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  31. I have Meghan’s sunglasses! They’re so comfy & stylish =) I also love her turquoise earrings 😍 Great to see the three ladies together. I’m not a fan of Meghan’s outfit but she looked happy & healthy - that’s all that matters.

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  32. I greatly admire the Duches of Sussex for a lot more than her feat style. And the skirt is gorgeous. But like me, she has hips and tummy (unlike me, she's recently given birth). Pleated skirts are just not that flattering, particularly with that not-sewn-down-skirt top and more-uncinched-than cinched waist[band].The Duchess of Cambridge's dress was...ok.Hm, Pippa's fashion was the winner in my book. Well-fitted, summer-light (with floaty, ruffled layers) dress, and just on the edge of in style (that feminine, fluttery look has been around for months but is still popular). And the small blue pattern is also very flattering to Pippa's small features, eyes, and coloring .

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    1. That's *fashion," not feat. And, of course, *Duchess." And yes, the Duchess of Sussex is always so fresh and lovely. Observation about a button-down shirt: makes it easier than a pullover blouse to do "new motherly things"... And it's very popular to mix styles now: at a tennis match, it's perfect! (I can't see getting all dressed up at a tennis outing no matter who - unless someone's on a posh date. Very uncomfortable. The DOS seems to, once again, keep it real.)

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  33. Pippa is the most stylish today love her dress, she looked lovely at her other Wimbledon appearance this week. I agree about Meghan’s lovely skirt needs a different shirt. Kate’s dress is a no from me I didn’t like it the first time she wore it I think she needs to ditch it from her wardrobe!

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  34. Mariza from NZ14 July 2019 at 06:39

    It seems I am in the minority, but I LOVE this look for Meghan. As a post partum mum myself, I am still a bit thick waisted and really appreciate that Meghan is in the same boat. 🙂

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  35. Does anyone know the designer of Pippa’s dress? She may need a blog page too Charlotte, as if you don’t have enough to do! 😉

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  36. Big abstract prints aren't my thing, but that print on her skirt is beautiful. I don't really think the turquoise in her earrings matches the blues in her skirt, but the earrings are so petite, it doesn't seem to matter. I see what many of you are pointing out about the structured blouse having a different vibe than the floaty skirt, but my guess is Meghan was going for that look. Mainly, l am dumbfounded that that simple white blouse has a $1,000+ price tag. Can that be right?

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  37. I’m probably in the minority here, but I love the collared shirt with midi-skirt combo. I think it’s from watching a lot of old Lauren Bacall and Kate Hepburn movies when I was young.

    Best of all, it makes me happy to see the extended family out together. I grew up watching (and playing) lots of sports with my siblings and father but tennis, especially Wimbledon, was the one sport my mother would watch with us.

    - Martine

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  38. great to see beautiful meghan out. im not a fan of her outfit but her smile just distracts from it.

    must have been hard for her to watch her friend lose :(. I wanted serena to win too oh well great match for sure and thnks Charlotte for posting. I really like Pippa's outfit not a fan of Kate's much.

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