In a heartwarming surprise, the Princess of Wales made a rare public appearance alongside Prince William in a video message to congratulate Team GB on their performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Released on August 11, the video also featured a lineup of celebrities, including David Beckham, Snoop Dogg, and Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, who joined the royal couple in cheering on the British athletes.
This marked one of the few public appearances by Kate Middleton since she began undergoing cancer treatment and stepped back from royal duties earlier this year. Since announcing her diagnosis in March, Kate has been seen at just a handful of events, including Trooping the Colour and the Wimbledon men’s singles final. Her surprise appearance in the video was met with overwhelming support from fans, who were thrilled to see her smiling alongside her husband as they expressed their pride in Team GB.
In this clip, the Princess of Wales showcased a new ‘eternity band’ and donned a familiar Ralph Lauren t-shirt while delivering a congratulatory message to Team GB last night.
Appearing alongside the Prince of Wales, both aged 42, the royal featured in a star-studded video shared on the couple’s Instagram account yesterday.
In the uplifting clip, the mother-of-three wore a classic black-and-white striped top from Ralph Lauren.
Social media quickly buzzed with excitement, with many praising the couple’s appearance, particularly noting Prince William’s “rugged” new look. One fan commented, “You both look amazing!!! Love the scruff, Will, and Catherine, you look stunning!” Another simply said, “Great to see Catherine and William again.”
In the video, Prince William, standing by Kate’s side, sported an unshaven, rugged look, a departure from his usual clean-shaven appearance. Kate, beaming with pride, delivered a heartfelt message: “From all of us watching at home, congratulations to Team GB.” William followed, saying, “Well done to Team GB, you’ve been an inspiration to us all.”
The royal couple’s social media account also shared the video, accompanied by a message: “Well done @teamgb, what an incredible journey! Every athlete showed immense dedication, heart, and passion. You made us all so proud! Here’s to celebrating every triumph @paris2024 and looking forward to more from @paralympicsgb_official later in the summer.”
The Princess of Wales seen wearing her £85 Ralph Lauren striped t-shirt to attend a SportsAid Athlete Workshop at the London Olympic Park in 2013
The video, which quickly went viral, also featured messages of support from other notable figures. Former England captain David Beckham expressed his pride, saying, “Hey Team GB, we are so proud of you, congratulations.” Broadcaster Gabby Logan added, “You have been amazing. Thank you so much for everything. These memories will last a very long time.” American rapper Snoop Dogg, who has been a popular presence at the Olympics this year as a special guest presenter for NBC, rounded off the video with his signature style, saying, “Thank you, Great Britain. On behalf of Snoop Dogg, the Prince, and his lovely wife.”
The appearance of Kate and William came shortly after a heartfelt statement from King Charles III, who called all Olympians “an inspiration.” The monarch congratulated their “outstanding successes” and highlighted their “raw talent, true grit, and hard toil” in his message, which was released just hours before the final moments of the Olympic Games in Paris.
Great Britain concluded the Paris Olympics with an impressive haul of 65 medals, matching the total won at London 2012 and marking the nation’s second-best ever tally on foreign soil. Team GB finished third in the overall medal count, behind the United States and China. However, they won fewer gold medals than in previous years, securing 14 golds, 22 silvers, and 29 bronzes, placing them seventh in the medal table.
As the Olympic Games draw to a close, Team GB is already looking ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Games, with plans in place to use Stanford University as its exclusive preparation camp. The Paris Olympics will officially conclude with a glittering closing ceremony at the Stade de France, bringing an end to two weeks of exhilarating sportsmanship and international camaraderie.