A heartwarming moment between Prince George and Prince William was captured during the Wimbledon men’s singles final on July 13—and a lip reader has uncovered the sweet nickname the young royal uses for his father.
“Papa… is that where the players walk out?”
While watching Carlos Alcaraz take on Jannik Sinner from the royal box at Centre Court, 11-year-old Prince George was spotted turning to Prince William and asking, “Papa… is that where the players walk out down there?” According to lip reading expert Jeremy Freeman, William, 43, confirmed with a smile: “Yeah, it is yeah.”
The term “Papa” is not new for the young royals. On Father’s Day 2024, a photo shared on social media showed Prince William hugging his children alongside the caption: “We love you, Papa. Happy Father’s Day. G, C & L.”
A Moment with Wimbledon Champions
Earlier in the day, Prince George and his 10-year-old sister, Princess Charlotte, also met British tennis players Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool, who had just won the men’s doubles title. Their mother, Princess Kate, asked the athletes how long they had been playing as a team. Learning it had only been ten months, she turned to her children and said: “Wow, how about that? So, they only just started playing together ten months ago. And go on to win Wimbledon.”
The children’s reactions were telling of their personalities. Charlotte, clearly excited, exclaimed: “Oh, wow.” George responded in a more reserved tone: “Mmm nice, yeah.” Their mother added with a smile: “Not bad is it.”
Charlotte’s Passion for Tennis
Charlotte’s enthusiasm for the sport has been well-documented. Royal expert Ingrid Seward previously told The Sun: “Charlotte has always loved tennis, and mum Kate took her to Hurlingham when she was quite young to play tennis there. Tennis is a big family thing on both sides.”
Princess Kate’s Return to Wimbledon
Princess Kate, who serves as the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, made a celebrated return to Wimbledon the day before to watch the women’s singles final between Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova. The 43-year-old, currently in remission from cancer, received a warm standing ovation from the crowd. Lip reader Jeremy also caught her words afterward, as she said: “Sweet, very nice to hear!”
