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Queen Camilla in a blue dress© WPA Pool

Queen Camilla's Wimbledon handshake causes a stir online

Did you see Queen Camilla at Wimbledon on Wednesday without King Charles?

Rachel Avery
Homes Editor
July 13, 2023
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Her Majesty Queen Camilla stepped out solo on Wednesday, attending Wimbledon without her husband King Charles

The 75-year-old royal looked angelic in a white dress as she watched the action, but ahead of her courtside appearance, she greeted some of this year's ball girls – and it was her handshake that garnered attention online.

WATCH: Queen Camilla curtsey to her own husband

"Lol she can't give a right handshake," noted one, and: "She's always trying not to shake hands [of] the people," another user claimed. 

They were referring to the photo shared on The Royal Family Instagram account that included a picture of Camilla seemingly giving a limp handshake. 

View post on Instagram
 

A third pointed out: "She greets people using right hand but when she takes her hand to her hair, she changes the handbag and uses the clean left one. Very clever."

Have you noticed that Camilla's sister-in-law Princess Anne normally doesn't shake hands with members of the public? Speaking in an ITV documentary Queen of the World, which aired in 2018, the late monarch's daughter explained how the rules have changed. "I mean we never shook hands," she said. "The theory was that you couldn't shake hands with everybody, so don't start. So I kind of stick with that, but I notice others don't."

Princess Royal greets guests during a Garden Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse© Getty
Princess Anne prefers not to shake hands

While Camilla made her Wimbledon appearance, she actually made a surprising revelation about her own tennis experience. 

Speaking to the ball boys and girls at the tournament, the Queen said of their challenging role: "You have to be very agile. I remember doing it 100 years ago at Queen's (Club). It is quite difficult."

Queen Camilla meets ballboy Sean and ballgirls Larissa, and Cassie at Wimbledon© Getty
Queen Camilla meets ballboy Sean and ballgirls Larissa, and Cassie

HELLO! understands Her Majesty the Queen was a ball girl for Queen's Tournament during her time as a Queen's Gate schoolgirl. The school had a long association supplying ball girls to the tournament.

PHOTOS: 5 royals looking ace in tennis kit: Princess Kate, Princess Diana, Prince Edward and more

Many members of the royal family are big tennis fans, and some have even braved it out on the court. 

Recently, the Princess of Wales and Wimbledon champion Roger Federer enjoyed a friendly knock-up on No.3 Court at The All England Lawn Tennis Club at Wimbledon. 

MORE: Pippa Middleton channels sister Princess Kate at glamorous Wimbledon appearance

princess kate playing tennis wimbledon© Thomas Lovelock - AELTC
Princess Kate is a keen player

Following in his mother's sporting footsteps, Prince George has been having tennis lessons since he was five. Plus, he has an extra advantage for perfecting his tennis skills, as their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall, has a tennis court that was revamped with an AstroTurf surface in 2015 to replace an existing court that had fallen into disrepair.

SEE: 10 Wimbledon stars' weddings: Novak Djokovic's pregnant bride, Elina Svitolina's purple jumpsuit & more

prince edward real tennis racket© Photo: Getty Images
Prince Edward likes 'real tennis'

Prince Edward, however, prefers to play his games indoors. The King's brother remains an avid fan of Real Tennis. Regarded as ‘the sport of kings,’ real tennis is played indoors with heavy wooden racquets and is a more antiquated form of lawn tennis. The game has a strict dress code and players may only wear white during matches.  

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