Roger Federer broke royal protocol with Kate Middleton in super subtle way at Wimbledon but she handled it like a pro

Kate Middleton and Roger Federer were reunited when she made her appearance of the year at Wimbledon - but the tennis pro seemingly broke royal protocol. 

• Kate Middleton made her first appearance at this year's Wimbledon Championships on Tuesday and met up with friend and tennis icon Roger Federer. 
• The pair were seen chatting and laughing while enjoying the match, but fans noticed that Roger broke royal protocol with Princess Catherine and seemed to almost take it a step further. 
• In other royal news, Kate Middleton was the essence of summer in her fresh white 2011 Wimbledon dress with pleated tiers and shoulder-baring straps.

With Wimbledon 2023 underway, renowned tennis lover, the Princess of Wales, made her first appearance of the year at the tournament on Tuesday. 

Princess Catherine has wowed with some fabulous Wimbledon outfits during her time in the royal spotlight, with the likes of her preppy outfit from 2012 and her clean white linen dress in 2019 proving that she has consistently nailed her court side looks for years. 

Arriving for Day Two of Wimbledon on Tuesday, Kate took style inspiration from the late Princess Diana, wearing a mint green Balmain blazer and white flowing skirt for the drizzly day of sporting, which saw her reunite with Roger Federer. 

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This M&S linen-blend mint green blazer is a great affordable option if you want to replicate Kate's first Wimbledon outfit of 2023, without the Balmain price tag. Cut in an elegant tailored fit, the single-breasted design features a smart button closure and a classic notched lapel.

Princess Catherine, Roger and his wife, Mirka Federer, took their places in the Royal Box to watch Katie Boulter take on Daria Saville. But it looked as though Roger slipped up on royal rules when greeting Kate. 

It didn't go unnoticed that the tennis champion touched Kate's back as he arrived to take his seat amid a huge round of applause, straying from royal protocol that generally dictates that Royal Family members aren't touched unless they initiate contact themselves first. 

Roger then appeared to begin leaning in to give Princess Catherine a kiss on the cheek, before quickly pulling away. Unsurprisingly, kind Kate was unfazed by the small mistake and smiled at Roger, giving him a nod. 

The future Queen Consort and world famous sportsman are known to get along well and have a strong friendship, with the Wales and Federer families thought to enjoy spending time with one another. It has even been reported that Roger has given nine-year-old Prince George some personal tennis coaching. 

Royal fans were quick to point out that the duo have a friendly relationship, with one taking to Twitter to write, "It’s ok. They are friends personally outside the public. And Federer, isn’t he royalty anyway?"

"They have been friends for years," another added, while a third agreed, "They greeted each other like family friends."

Princess Catherine and Roger even teamed up last month for a special training day with the Wimbledon Ball Boys and Girls, who play a key role in the world-famous tournament. 

During Kate's visit to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, she served some serious sporty style as she wowed with her white Wimbledon look in a bargain $62 tennis skirt and impressed even more with her racket skills as she spent some time on the court.