The Duchess of Cambridge is carrying out an extra fun engagement next week on Tuesday 31 October. Kate, who is pregnant with her third baby, will meet a group of children as she visits the Lawn Tennis Association in London. The sporty royal, 35, will watch several on-court sessions, including a wheelchair tennis demonstration, and take part in the Tennis for Kids session – an LTA-run programme which teaches young children, aged five to eight years old, how to play and enjoy tennis.
During the visit, Kate, a talented tennis player herself, will be briefed about the LTA's latest grass roots activities and objectives. She will have the opportunity to meet some of the UK's top junior talents as well as members of the training team including coaches, nutritionists and physiotherapists who will share what it takes to be a top junior player.
Kate visiting Wimbledon this year
At the end of the engagement, Prince William's wife will also meet some of the Coach Core apprentices who will be leading a tennis training session. The Coach Core scheme was designed by Prince William, Kate and Prince Harry's Royal Foundation with the aim of supporting young people, aged 16 to 24 with limited opportunities, become sports coaches.
Next week's engagement will be particularly interesting for Kate, who is a big fan of tennis. She became patron of the LTA in December 2016, taking over the patronage from the Queen. The Duchess, who is a regular at Wimbledon, started playing tennis when she was a young girl and is already teaching her son Prince George, four, how to play.
The Duchess is a regular at the south London tournament
Earlier this summer, Kate spoke about her love of tennis in BBC documentary, Sue Barker: Our Wimbledon. "I have watched Wimbledon, that was very much part of my growing up. It's such a quintessential part of the English summer, and I think it really inspires youngsters, myself, it inspired me, when I was younger to get involved in the game. It hasn't changed either, I think that's what's so wonderful," she said. Laughing, she added: "Roger [Federer] is my mother's heartthrob. I don't think she will mind me saying that! I think he probably knows that too."