Animated George and Charlotte can't take eyes off dramatic Wimbledon final

16 July 2023 , 15:30
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Animated George and Charlotte can
Animated George and Charlotte can't take eyes off dramatic Wimbledon final

Prince George and Princess Charlotte look spellbound by the Centre Court spectacle as the excited young tennis fans sit transfixed by the Wimbledon final.

The royal youngsters joined parents Prince William and Kate at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, the first time they have attended together.

They were captivated by the sports' two best players, Carlos Alcaraz looking to dethrone Novak Djokovic, who has been flawless in the arena for a decade.

Fans saw wide-eyed George, who watched the Serb win last summer's final, race emhatically to a sizzling first set.

Charlotte - making her first visit to the iconic tournament - cheered along with her brother as champion Djokovic pulled off some incredible early shots.

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Animated George and Charlotte can't take eyes off dramatic Wimbledon finalPrincess Charlotte could hardly watch as the second set came to life (WireImage)

She covered her eyes as the second set burst into life, the Spaniard winning the tie-break to recover from his early agony.

But fans weren't treated to the royal box reaction of Prince Louis, who was "very upset" to be left at home as the rest of his family enjoyed the Wimbledon final, his mum Kate revealed earlier this afternoon.

The five-year-old is deemed too young to be courtside, so remained at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor. The Princess of Wales admitted Louis was not at all happy when he found out he wasn't going.

Little Louis has previously been snapped making cheeky expressions at major royal events such as the Platinum Jubilee, and because watching tennis at Wimbledon is a calmer affair - he is sitting this one out.

Animated George and Charlotte can't take eyes off dramatic Wimbledon finalPrince George applauded wildly as Novak Djokovic surged ahead (WireImage)
Animated George and Charlotte can't take eyes off dramatic Wimbledon finalCarlos Alcaraz is looking to halt the Serb's ten-year winning record on Centre Court (Getty Images)

His siblings had earlier met a boy who has raised nearly £10,000 for WaterAid before he tossed the coin for the men's final.

Mu'awwiz Anwar, eight, met the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children before taking centre stage at Centre Court just before the match.

Last year, Mu'awwiz, from Buckinghamshire, cycled three miles every day for 30 days during Ramadan to raise funds and this year he completed a half ironman triathlon.

The young fundraiser was introduced to George and Charlotte and handed the coin used to start the final to Charlotte, who showed it to her brother, before passing it back.

Animated George and Charlotte can't take eyes off dramatic Wimbledon finalKate has to pick excited Charlotte's jaw up off the floor! (Dave Shopland/REX/Shutterstock)

William asked Mu'awwiz if he had been practising and if he would get to do the coin toss himself.

Kate told Mu'awwiz: "I hope you enjoy every moment of it. Well done. Thank you so much for being here."

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His mother, Saira Awan, said: "Mu'awwiz chose WaterAid because he couldn't actually believe that there were so many people around the world who don't have access to clean water."

Animated George and Charlotte can't take eyes off dramatic Wimbledon finalGeorge waves moments before the match begins (AP)

Since 2017, the Wimbledon Foundation has donated more than £1.5 million to support WaterAid in its mission to ensure everyone, everywhere has access to clean water.

Paige Murphy, head of the Wimbledon Foundation, said she was "thrilled that someone as deserving as Mu'awwiz will get to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Jennie York, director of communications and fundraising at WaterAid, said: "We nominated Mu'awwiz because he is an extraordinary fundraiser, doing amazing challenges to raise money for WaterAid, and we are blown away by his dedication and hard work.

"It is thanks to the incredible efforts of people like Mu'awwiz - as well as the generosity of the Wimbledon Foundation and others - that ensure we are able to reach as many people globally with clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. We are hugely grateful to them all."

Sam Elliott-Gibbs

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