Visit of HM Queen Elizabeth II to Wimbledon 2010

by Savannah

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON

Visit of HM Queen Elizabeth II

Thursday 24th June 2010

General

· Last visit 1977. Other visits 1957 and 1962. (Please see Compendium P285 for details)
· Members of the Royal Family are welcome to attend on any day(s) of the Championships
· The Queen will sit in the Royal Box on Centre Court
· Other Royal Box Guests - see usual list
· Curtseying/Bowing – Players will be invited but not obliged to bow/curtsey
· Security commensurate with the occasion


Schedule for Day

Arrival

· Royal party arrive mid morning to be met at Aorangi Terrace by:
o Duke of Kent (President of The All England Lawn Tennis Club)
o Tim Phillips CBE (Chairman of The All England Lawn Tennis Club)
o Philip Brook (Vice Chairman of The All England Lawn Tennis Club)
o Ian Ritchie (Chief Executive of The All England Lawn Tennis Club)
· Presented with a posy of hydrangea, agapanthus, peony and roses by Wimbledon Ballgirl (Marianna Spring aged 14 from Sutton High)

Walk

· Pass in front of Aorangi Terrace
· Down St Mary’s Walk between Courts 18 and 19
· Visit Court 14 to observe the Club’s Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative
· Continue down St Mary’s walk to Members’ Lawn to meet a selection of players
· Proceed to Clubhouse for lunch

Court 14

· Introduced to Dan Bloxham – Head Coach, AELTC
· Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative players:
o Elizabeth Nyenwe (18)
o Evelina Belevich (13)
o Lila Simpson (12)
o Gemma Southwick (10)
o Andrew Watson (10)
o Kung Phimlee (8)
o Freya Hampson-Evans (7)
o Laurence Woodford (7)
o Alfie Fox (10)
o Iman Garshong (10)
o Emmanuel Smith (12)

· Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative (WJTI)

o Part of The Road to Wimbledon, the Club’s junior tennis programme for ages 3-18.
The Club’s dedicated coaching team, headed by Dan Bloxham, delivers tennis coaching and promotes a fitness lifestyle and sports education programme in the local schools of the London Boroughs of Merton and Wandsworth.
Around 100,000 children have had the chance to have a go at the game at one of the 450 schools visited by the Club’s coaching team.
o Around 300 children per day also attend free tennis coaching and skills sessions held at the Club 45 weekends a year.
o WJTI has one international player, Lila Simpson (12), a further two at National level, five regional and over twenty county standard players.

Members Lawn, Millennium Building

· Introduced to a selection of players

o Defending Champions Serena Williams and Roger Federer
o Past Wimbledon Champions Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King
o Six of the other top seeded singles players: Venus Williams, Caroline Wozniacki, Jelena Jankovic Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick (Roddick replaces Andy Murray because of pre-match preparation)
o British players: Laura Robson, Heather Watson, Anne Keothavong and Elena Baltacha

Lunch in the Clubhouse

· Welcomed by Committee of management and Senior execs of the Championships
· Presented with a memento of her visit – miniatures of the Men’s and Ladies’ Trophies
· Lunch with current and former players: Former British Champions Angela Barrett (1961), Ann Jones (1969), Virginia Wade (1977); Venus Williams; Roger and Mirka Federer; Tim Henman; John Barrett.
· Menu:
o Amusé: Salmon Millefeuille with Wye Valley Asparagus
o Main course (served chilled): Orange and Honey Marinated Chicken on Fruity Couscous with Roasted Vegetables
o Kentish Strawberries and Blackberries with Cornish Clotted Cream and Mint Syrup
o English Cheese Plate & Orange Chutney
o Coffee and Chocolates
o Wines: Meursault, Joseph Drouhin, 2006 and Barolo, Giovanni Corino, 2004

Tennis

· Enter the Royal Box to watch tennis on Centre Court
· No national anthem

Departure

· Timing as and when the Queen wishes to leave
· From main Clubhouse entrance.