How will ‘Princess Privacy’ deal with Wimbledon this time around? As rumours swirl about Meghan going to SW19, her last appearance saw her branded ‘childish’ after tennis fans were ordered not to take photos of her

Wimbledon is synonymous with strawberries and cream, world-class tennis, Roger Federer and the Royal Family; Senior members of the Firm were frequently photographed in Center Court.

But Meghan Markle found being photographed so frustrating that viewers had to put away their camera phones when the Duchess of Sussex attended a tennis tournament in 2019.

The former Suits actress made an unannounced visit to SW19 to catch pal Serena Williams in action shortly after giving birth to son Prince Archie.

But the day is now remembered less for Serena’s day four victory over Slovenian player Kaja Juvan and more for Meghan’s row over privacy, known as the ‘no photo’ gate, in which she was branded ‘childish’ and a ‘control freak’ by some attendees.

Piers Morgan and Kirstie Allsopp were among those criticizing Prince Harry’s wife after it emerged that her bodyguards had told tennis fans not to take photos of the Duchess because she ‘wanted to communicate with people, not camera phones’, a royal source claimed at the time.

Meghan also had the option of private seating overlooking Court One, with members of Meghan’s security team telling “astonished” fans away to pose for photos around her, in stark contrast to the Princess of Wales’ relaxed visit to the All England Club yesterday.

Meghan has not attended the tennis tournament since, as she and Prince Harry stepped down as senior royals and moved to Montecito, California, in early 2020 in search of a simpler, more private life.

However, the mother-of-two, who is an avid tennis fan, could be ready to return to Center Court after a seven-year absence if she accompanies Prince Harry to England for his five-day visit to promote the Invictus Games. So, this time, will she be able to get rid of such a cruel title as ‘aggressive princess’?

Six months before Harry and Meghan left the Royal Family, Meghan, then 37, sparked fierce backlash when she made an unannounced visit to SW19 in a “private capacity” to watch American tennis superstar and long-term friend Serena Williams play.

Meghan, accompanied by two friends from Northwestern University, was photographed wearing a pinstriped white jacket over a black shirt, tight blue jeans and a boater hat, cheering Serena on as she played against Kaja Juvan.

However, the atmosphere soon became tense after bodyguards approached unsuspecting fans and asked them not to take photographs of the Duchess, who was there in a “private capacity” to support her friend despite 12,000 other attendees watching the match.

Former BBC sports reporter Sally Jones, who was in the stands that day, was among those warned not to photograph the new mother, who had just given birth to son Prince Archie.

In an awkward moment, Ms Jones was forced to reveal that Meghan was ‘trying to take pictures of Serena’ after she was approached by a royal security guard.

‘I was trying to take pictures of Serena Williams, next thing [there was] a small tap on his shoulder. A very, very polite royal protection officer said: ‘Would you mind taking pictures of the duchess, she’s here on a special mission.’

Ms Jones told how she was “completely stunned” by the request as “nearly 200 photographers attacked her” and branded Meghan’s behavior “control freak” and “childish”.

Speaking to the Daily Mail at the time, he said: ‘Harry and Meghan see themselves as A-list celebrities rather than dutiful royals. This is control madness.

The former Suits actress made an unannounced visit to SW19 to catch pal Serena Williams in action shortly after giving birth to son Prince Archie.

Members of the security team apparently asked tennis fans not to take photos of the Duchess because she “wanted to communicate with people rather than camera phones.”

Meghan’s private seats overlooking the First Court were also vacated after members of her security team warned they were ‘confused’ not to take photographs around her.

‘Nearly 200 photographers were attacking her, but security was sent to warn an old lady like me. It makes them look stupid. “This is childish and makes fools of us,” he added.

Another viewer told how Meghan was warned not to take photos around her after being scolded for taking selfies.

Hasan Hasanov, who was photographed with his mobile phone pointed at the Duchess, told the Daily Mail that he was trying to take a photo with Wimbledon champion Roger Federer in the background, adding that he didn’t even notice Meghan.

The grandfather, who lives in Wallington, south London, told The Sun: ‘To be honest I wouldn’t mind taking a picture of Meghan, Harry or any of the royals and if I did I’d be the first to ask. Shooting video of Roger Federer in action was much more interesting to me.’

Ms Jones added: ‘Everyone is increasingly fed up with Harry and Meghan’s approach to royal life’, adding: ‘Their desire to control everything is in stark contrast to the Cambridges. [now Waleses]ones that seem much more logical. Kate was at Wimbledon two days ago and acted completely differently.

‘The photo incident is the latest in a long list of confusion over when Meghan went into labor, where she gave birth to the baby and, more recently, the anonymity of the godparents’ names.

‘All of this is completely unnecessary and they are trying to score points.’

Meghan, who has been cruelly dubbed the ‘aggressive princess’ by some, attended the match with two friends from Northwestern University, Genevieve Hillis and Lindsay Roth.

But apparently one seat wasn’t enough for him; VIPs were left queuing outside while the four rows (and some 40 seats) surrounding it were kept clear by the security team.

His personal assistant and a palace press officer sat behind him, along with several security guards.

Meanwhile, Catherine, patron of the All England Club, was happy to sit among the crowd; photos showed him enjoying one of his matches alongside Andy Murray in yesterday’s Championship.

Meanwhile, All England Club boss Catherine had the pleasure of sitting among the crowd during her surprise visit yesterday.

Breaking with tradition, the future Queen did not sit in the Royal Box, but watched promising 23-year-old English star Arthur Fery play Otto Virtanen in the outfield alongside former England number one Tim Henman.

X users praised her down-to-earth nature, with one person writing that Catherine was a ‘real tennis fan’.

‘It’s the sign of a true tennis fan to see Princess Kate come to Wimbledon and sit down to watch a third-round tennis match on the outer courts, away from the Royal Box and Center Court,’ they wrote.

He also helped distribute course passes to tennis fans who camped out overnight at Wimbledon Park to secure coveted access to the tournament before getting stuck into the day’s matches.

At the time, Piers Morgan weighed in on the ‘no photos’ decision upon learning of the incident, telling the Duchess to ‘come back to America and live privately’ six months before she and Harry moved to America.

During an episode of Good Morning Britain, the broadcaster said: ‘A private capacity at Wimbledon? This is ridiculous. This is frankly hypocritical and they are not special people, they are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. If you want to be private, go back to America and live private.’

American actress Tatum O’Neal, famous for tennis star John McEnroe, said she hoped Meghan would be the ‘next Princess Diana’ and take the example of her husband’s late mother.

But when she appeared on GMB to discuss her Hollywood career as an actress and her relationships with McEnroe and Michael Jackson, she told Mr Morgan that her behavior at Wimbledon was ‘tacky’.

Child star O’Neal, now 62, said: ‘I think it’s very shabby behavior for a guard to take someone out.

‘It’s so sad for me because if you think about Princess Diana and how inclusive she was and would never turn anyone away and I had so much hope for Meghan, I wanted her to be the next Princess Diana and it seems like it’s all about her and that really makes me sad.’

Location, Location, Location star Kirstie Allsopp tweeted: ‘If you make money through entertainment, sport or media, or as a member of the royal family, photos are part of the deal – because you’re so lucky to have the privileges that come with jobs and salaries.’

Shortly after, Meghan and Harry headed across the pond with Prince Archie before welcoming their daughter, Princess Lilibet, in 2021.

They have remained estranged from Prince Harry’s family following ‘Megxit’, but the Sussexes were expected to visit the UK with their children for the first time in four years later this month.

Harry and Meghan, who is currently in Europe with Archie and Lilibet, were planning a five-day trip to the UK as the countdown begins for the Duke Invictus Games in Birmingham in 2027.

As well as visiting King Charles, the trip was to include a poignant stop at Althorp Manor in Northamptonshire, where Harry’s mother Princess Diana is buried.

Archie and Lilibet, Queen Elizabeth II They have not seen their grandfather since their last trip to England in June 2022 for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

However, Prince Harry said his request for police protection was ’11. He is reconsidering bringing his wife and children to England after being rejected at ‘hour’.

Despite the setback, a spokesperson for Sussex told People magazine that the Duke was “exploring every option” to bring Archie and Lilibet safely to the UK.

They said King Charles had offered the family the use of the royal residence during their stay in the UK but “the accommodation was never the issue”.

The statement included the following statements: ‘The issue is whether appropriate and proportionate protective security was provided throughout the entire visit.

‘The independent Risk Management Board that RAVEC personally decided was necessary last November has still not been formed. It is therefore difficult to see how the proportionality of existing regulations can be reliably maintained without this independent assessment.’

‘The Duke continues to explore every option available to ensure the visit proceeds safely and gives his children the opportunity to enjoy the UK.’