King Charles honoured the memory of the late Katharine, Duchess of Kent as her final rites are performed following a service at the Westminster Cathedral on Tuesday.
The monarch and his wife, Queen Camilla, will be joined by senior members of the royal family, including Prince William and Kate Middleton, as they mourn their loss and say final goodbyes to the royal.
The office of the monarch released an emotional video of Katharine and how her sweet gesture became a memorable moment in Wimbledon history.
Czech player Novotna had lost the final after leading 4-1 in the final set, but couldn’t close out the match. In a spontaneous moment, Katharine, who was the patron at the time, hugged the runner-up garnering praise for her move.
“A moment of compassion remembered forever,” the caption read alongside the video.
“The Duchess of Kent’s embrace of Jana Novotna in 1993 became one of Wimbledon’s most memorable moments,” it continued. “On the day of her funeral, we honour Her Royal Highness The Duchess Kent as a steadfast supporter of The Championships, women’s sport, and an Honorary Member of the Club.”
The royal, who passed away peacefully at age 92, began her final journey as her coffin was brought to the Cathedral on the eve of the funeral. Her coffin, draped in the Royal Standard, was moved from her home at Kensington Palace in a hearse as a piper played at the side of the road.
After the Requiem Mass, designed in accordance with her wishes and her Catholic faith, the Duchess will be buried in private Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore, Windsor.