Princess Kate appears at Wimbledon amid cancer battle: 'Great to be back'

Princess Kate is stepping back into the spotlight amid her battle with cancer.

The Princess of Wales, 42, made a rare appearance Sunday during the men's singles final at Wimbledon, where she received a standing ovation as she arrived with her 9-year-old daughter, Princess Charlotte. Kate flashed a big smile as she waved to the crowd.

The princess wore a purple dress with a ruched bodice and carried a tan bag, accessorizing with gold jewelry. She also donned her signature purple-and-green striped bow, the official colors of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, of which she is a patron.

"Great to be back at @Wimbledon!" Kate shared on Instagram. "There's nothing quite like The Championships."

Kate was joined in the front row of the Royal Box by her sister, Pippa Middleton, who sat next to Charlotte. The three donned dark sunglasses and leaned in to chat during the match.

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Before they took their seats, Kate introduced Charlotte to several female tennis stars, including Emma Raducanu, Flora Johnson and Lucy Shuker.

This was Princess Kate's second public appearance since she revealed in March that she has been diagnosed with cancer. After retreating from the public eye as she underwent treatment, the British royal made her return in June for the Trooping the Colour, the official celebration of King Charles' birthday. Charles is also battling an unspecified form of cancer.

In a statement last month, Princess Kate said she hoped "to join a few public engagements over the summer" but cautioned that she is "not out of the woods yet," as she still has "a few more months" of cancer treatment to go.

"I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty," she said. "Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal."

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Royal watchers had speculated that Kate might attend Wimbledon, given that she has been a mainstay at the event over the years. The Princess of Wales did not attend the women's championship on Saturday.

Kate announced in March that she had been diagnosed with cancer after undergoing abdominal surgery. She said that she was in the early stages of preventive chemotherapy at the recommendation of her medical team.

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In her statement last month, Kate said she has "good days and bad days" during treatment.

"On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting," she said. "But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well."

Contributing: Kim Willis, Taijuan Moorman, Ahjané Forbes and Alyssa Goldberg