The Shock Exit of Christian Horner: Power Plays, Scandal, and Red Bull’s Gamble

In one of the most seismic shifts in recent Formula 1 history, Red Bull Racing parted ways with longtime team principal Christian Horner with immediate effect. The decision sent ripples across the motorsport world, not only because of Horner’s deep-rooted connection to the team, but also due to the abrupt nature of the dismissal. For someone who led Red Bull from its earliest days into a championship powerhouse, the manner of his departure suggests something more than just poor internal relations — it reveals a much deeper power struggle, a shift in ownership influence, and lingering scandal.

The Changing Balance of Power at Red Bull

To understand the background of this dramatic event, we must start with the structure of Red Bull’s ownership. Red Bull GmbH is a unique entity, co-owned by Austrian and Thai parties. Originally, Dietrich Mateschitz of Austria and Chalerm Yoovidhya of Thailand held 49% each, with Chalerm’s son, Chalerm (Chaler), holding the remaining 2%, giving the Thai faction a controlling 51%.

That changed on May 20, 2025, when Chaler Yoovidhya transferred his 2% stake to a Geneva-based trust, effectively dissolving the Thai side’s majority control. This pivotal move allowed the Austrian stakeholders — long rumored to be at odds with Horner — to act without Thai veto power. The floodgates opened.

Though previously shielded by the Yoovidhya family’s loyalty, Horner now found himself exposed. According to Sky Sports’ Craig Slater, “The Thai support has eventually gone away. Horner was no longer able to rely on Yoovidhya, so he has been vulnerable.” With the Austrians now in control, long-simmering frustrations turned into decisive action.

Verstappen & Marko: Unofficial Architects of Change?

While the Austrian side had the final say, insiders suggest that Max Verstappen’s camp, especially his outspoken father Jos, and Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, had quietly pushed for Horner’s exit for months.

Jos Verstappen had publicly voiced concerns that Red Bull would “crumble” if Horner remained, pointing to the departures of senior technical figures like Adrian Newey and the team’s declining internal morale. Marko, too, was believed to be uncomfortable with Horner’s growing influence and increasingly personalized leadership style, dubbing it “The Christian Horner Ring.”

Though not directly involved in executing the dismissal, both figures are thought to have welcomed the Austrian shareholders’ newfound authority. It allowed them to pursue changes without needing to engage in backroom plotting — the perfect storm, in their favor.

The Scandal That Cast a Long Shadow

What made Horner’s firing particularly jarring was its “with immediate effect” nature — suggesting an urgency or severity not typically seen with executive reshuffles.

The reason? A lingering scandal involving alleged misconduct toward a female employee. Though an initial internal investigation had cleared Horner of wrongdoing, the case was never truly put to rest. As more details emerged and the employee escalated the matter to Red Bull’s headquarters in Salzburg, the leadership, especially under Austrian direction, grew impatient.

Rather than allow the controversy to drag on or appear to condone inappropriate behavior, Red Bull opted to launch a new independent investigation. In tandem, they removed Horner immediately — not as a sign of guilt proven in court, but as a signal to the world: Red Bull was serious about ethics, accountability, and image.

Former FIA head Bernie Ecclestone, a close friend of Horner, weighed in with a mix of surprise and criticism. “He was an idiot,” Bernie remarked bluntly. “He was a 50-year-old who thought he was 20 and one of the boys. If you’re partners for 20 years, you don’t throw someone out like that… unless something very serious happened.”

The Aftermath: Red Bull’s New Direction

Taking over from Horner is Laurent Mekies, former Ferrari sporting director and head of the Red Bull junior team, Racing Bulls (previously AlphaTauri). Mekies is widely respected and brings technical acumen, but filling Horner’s shoes will be a monumental task.

Horner didn’t just lead Red Bull — he was Red Bull for many. He transformed the energy drink brand into a six-time Constructors’ Champion and the team behind eight Drivers’ Championships. His sudden departure, while now tied to scandal and power dynamics, also marks the end of an era in F1.

The Money and the Legal Aftershock

Despite the disgrace, Horner won’t walk away empty-handed. Still under contract until at least 2030, he’s reportedly set to receive a £50 million payout. The figure underscores how determined Red Bull was to end his reign — money was no object.

This financial severance may also signal a desire to avoid further litigation. With employment laws and potential reputational damage at play, Red Bull likely sought a clean break rather than prolonged court battles.

What’s Next for Horner?

Though tainted, Horner’s legacy in F1 remains formidable. His name is now linked to vacancies at Alpine and potentially Ferrari, should their current leadership falter. Alpine, backed by incoming Mercedes power units from 2026, is in the midst of a restructuring and could use a seasoned leader.

Ferrari, meanwhile, is reportedly reconsidering Fred Vasseur’s leadership, with high-level dissatisfaction over continued underperformance. Horner could represent a bold new direction for the Scuderia, offering tactical leadership and experience in winning.

Whether Horner lands another team principal role in the short term remains to be seen. But one thing is certain — his phone will ring.

Conclusion: A Fall from Grace or a Tactical Reset?

Christian Horner’s firing may feel sudden, even harsh, but it’s rooted in months of political maneuvering, corporate change, and allegations that refused to die. For Red Bull, it signals a turning point — one where new leadership takes the wheel, backed by a different vision and shareholder power dynamic.

As the team now looks to 2025 and beyond, aiming to compete with rising forces like McLaren and reviving giants like Mercedes and Ferrari, the hope is that change will stabilize rather than disrupt.

Whether Horner’s story is one of downfall or eventual comeback is a tale still unfolding.

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Red Bull sacked Christian Horner as chief executive and team principal on Wednesday and former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes that Max Verstappen could now quit the team

Max Verstappen’s Red Bull future has been in the spotlight(Image: Getty Images)

Max Verstappen is “very strongly thinking about leaving Red Bull” after Christian Horner was sacked as chief executive and team principal, Ralf Schumacher has claimed. Horner was axed on Wednesday after 20 years in charge of Red Bull Racing.

During his time in charge, Horner oversaw eight drivers’ championship wins and six constructors’ championship wins, with Verstappen responsible for four world title victories. However, Red Bull have struggled so far this season, with Verstappen currently 69 points behind leader Oscar Piastri.

And former F1 driver Schumacher believes Verstappen could also depart Red Bull, claiming that the Dutchman wants to leave “more than ever” after Horner’s departure. “I think one thing has nothing to do with the other, that the two might not have been the best of friends,” Schumacher told Sky Sports Germany.

“But that wasn’t what Max was talking about. Max obviously wants to stay at Red Bull if at all possible, because that’s where it all started, and he owes a lot to Red Bull. But I fear this valley that Red Bull is going through now will last a while.

“That usually takes – in Formula One history – two or three years. Now, of course, one thing could happen: new rules next year, and they’ll find a great approach. I’m just lacking imagination, because [Pierre] Wache hasn’t managed to make the car really drivable and good for two or one and a half years now.

“So I still believe that Max is very strongly thinking about leaving Red Bull, and more than ever after this weekend.” Schumacher’s comments come after Mercedes chief Toto Wolff confirmed that they were considering a move for Verstappen.

Speaking at the Austrian Grand Prix last month, Wolff said: “As a team principal responsible for the best car brand in the world it is clear you’re exploring what a four-time world champion is going to do in the future.

“What we are trying to do in the team is be transparent. You can choose to hold things under wraps, or do what we’ve done in the last 20 years I’ve been here is putting it out there and saying this is the situation.

Christian Horner has been let go after a 20-year tenure with Red Bull(Image: Formula 1 via Getty Images)

“These drivers are clever people and they talk to each other. I’m saying it how it is and there’s no such thing as saying we are going to sign Max, because it’s so far away that it’s not realistic at that stage. So with George, we talk about everything.”

Verstappen was also asked if talks were taking place with Mercedes and responded: “I don’t think we need to talk about that. I don’t know, do you want me to repeat what I said last year? I don’t know. It’s the same answer.”

Ecclestone also spoke out about the timing of the decision

BERNIE ECCLESTONE has labelled Christian Horner ‘an idiot’ in the wake of his Red Bull sacking earlier this week.

The ex-Red Bull team principal seemed a permanent fixture in F1 until allegations of him sending suggestive WhatsApp messages to a female employee emerged last year.

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Christian Horner was this week dismissed by Red BullCredit: PA

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Bernie Ecclestone is friends with Horner – but didn’t mince his wordsCredit: AFP
Horner, 51, has consistently denied the claims of inappropriate and controlling behaviour made against him.

In February 2024, Horner was cleared of any wrongdoing after multiple probes.

He spent a tumultuous three weeks fighting for his career after a female colleague alleged controlling and coercive behaviour by the boss.

The probe later investigated him allegedly sending improper messages to a woman.

A KC cleared Horner for a second time in August after the unnamed accuser launched an appeal following the internal probe.

Now F1 legend Bernie Ecclestone – a longtime friend of Horner – has criticised him for his conduct regarding the scandal.

He told the Telegraph: “This other business that he got involved with 18 months ago, he was just an idiot.

“He was a 50-year-old who thought he was 20, thought he was one of the boys.”

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Horner with Spice Girl wife GeriCredit: Splash

Ecclestone and Horner’s friendship extends to beyond the latter’s arrival at Red Bull, with the pair reportedly attending each others weddings.

Ex-Formula One boss Ecclestone was not surprised with the sacking, suggesting that unease surrounding Horner’s prominence within the Red Bull brand could have played a role.

He said: “It would probably have been better if they had said ‘Come in Christian, sit down.’

“But the bottom line is there are people who thought he was getting away with things, that he was acting as if it was not the Red Bull ring, but the Christian Horner ring.”

Horner gave an emotional speech to Red Bull staff following his sacking.

He was not the only staff member to be fired, with a number of his closest allies also axed.

Ecclestone suggests the timing of the decision to move on from Horner coinciding with Red Bull’s struggles to compete this season is not a coincidence.

He continued: “He got away with so many things.

“All the time you are delivering , people close their eyes – but when you stop delivering, people start looking.

“One or two begin thinking ‘Well I could do a better job.’”

Reigning world champion Max Verstappen is third in the standings while Red Bull trail McLaren by a whopping 288 points in the Constructors standings at the half way stage of the season.

The British racing executive ran the Red Bull F1 team for 20 years since his appointment in 2005, in which time he has become one of the most decorated team bosses of all time.

Horner’s tenure oversaw six constructors titles and EIGHT drivers’ championships across dominant spells with Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen.

The latter posted an emotional farewell to Horner following the dismissal.

Horner will be succeeded in his role by French engineer Laurent Mekies.

Junior Andre has opened up about his relationship with his mum and dad, Katie Price and Peter Andre, as he takes a serious next step in his relationship with his older girlfriend

At just 20 years old, Junior Andre already has the makings of a stellar career – and now he’s taken a serious next step with his girlfriend Jasmine Orr. The son of Katie Price and Peter Andre has just moved in with the influencer, 24, in a one-bedroom apartment in Surrey, and insists he’s more than ready to stand on his own two feet.

Singer Junior previously split his time between the houses of his dad and stepmum, Emily MacDonagh, and his mum Katie, and in an exclusive chat he reveals what thinks of his famous parents now he’s in a serious relationship of his own. “I mean, I’m my own man, aren’t I?,” he said, on the topic of getting life advice from Katie or Mysterious Girl singer Peter.

Junior wants to stand on his own two feet(Image: OK!/Alex James)

He continued: “So, I learn for myself and I think that’s the way everyone does it. “It’s the same way my parents did it, you know, just life experience. You live and you learn.”

Junior’s mum and dad split in 2009 after four years together, and him and his younger sister Princess, now 18, split their time between the two houses. When it comes to his romance with Jasmine, which started last year after the pair met at a work event, Junior told OK! magazine they have both been “really supportive”.

“They were really happy for us,” he said. “My parents were both there if we needed anything while moving, and we’re still going to be going for barbecues at Dad’s, or to my mum’s for movie nights. Family is so important. We’re going to host them here, too, once everything is settled.”

Katie and Peter were very supportive of him and Jasmine, Junior said(Image: OK!/Alex James)

Katie opened up recently about her experience of co-parenting Junior and Princess following her and Peter’s split, telling dating guru Paul C Brunson that they’d never “spoken” about their split since they separated.

Last year she also revealed how her role of mum was changing as the two were getting older and launching their own careers.

Speaking to her sister Sophie, 35, on an episode of her Katie Price Show podcast, the former glamour model said: “Although they live with me, because they’re going away soon and Junior’s just been doing night stuff, working nights, I haven’t seen much of them.”

Princess and Junior are both successful in their own right now(Image: Mike Marsland, WireImagevia Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Princess, who turned 18 last month, has been filming her own ITV2 documentary and while Peter and Emily will feature, it’s understood Katie will not.

On a more recent episode of her podcast, Katie addressed the rumours and said: “Just ‘cos everyone knows she’s doing this documentary. I’m not in. But we’ll talk about that nearer the time. Certain people don’t think it’s good for Princess to be seen with me. Certain people who used to look after me.”

When King Charles made his speech at the state banquet during the French visit to the UK, the monarch made a sweet reference to Prince William but not his estranged son Harry. Royal expert Jennie Bond believes there’s more to the story

Royal expert Jennie Bond has broken down the real meaning behind King Charles’ supposed ‘snub’ of Prince Harry in his speech at the state banquet(Image: AP)

King Charles delivered a powerful message to his son Prince William at the state banquet on Tuesday, marking the end of the final day of the French state visit to the UK.

The banquet, which was attended by French president Emmanuel Macron, his wife Brigitte, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and hundreds of other guests, was held at Windsor Castle and saw the King give a moving speech about the royal family and their relationship with France.

During the address, the King spoke fondly about his eldest son Prince William, applauding his decision to establish his family home at Windsor, saying the move is doubly special given the castle’s Norman origins.

During King Charles’ speech at the state banquet, he made no mention of Prince Harry(Image: PA)

“The castle in which we meet this evening was begun by my ancestor — and your sometime countryman — William, Duke of Normandy, in the year 1070,” Charles said. “It remains the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world.”

“So it is perhaps rather appropriate that my son, the Prince of Wales, who shares that earlier William’s name, has made Windsor his home with his family, like so many of our predecessors,” the Ling added.

Many royal fans were quick to point out that the address made no mention of his estranged son Prince Harry, who quit royal life in 2020 with his wife Meghan Markle, and permanently relocated to California.

While many thought the lack of mention of Harry was a deliberate ‘snub’ by King Charles, royal expert Jennie Bond has another theory. The former BBC royal correspondent said that the King’s speech was not out of the ordinary.

Royal expert Jennie Bond believes the omittance wasn’t a “snub”, and simply relied on context(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Jennie Bond told The Mirror: “I don’t think it is significant at all that there was no mention of Harry. It would have been very odd indeed for the King to have mentioned him during a State occasion which was all about Anglo French relations.”

Bond went on to clarify: “His reference to William was simply because of his name, the castle and its association with the Duke of Normandy. In no way was this any kind of snub.

When asked if the Sussexes would have been impacted by being left out of the King’s speech and the French state visit at large, Jennie said: “I don’t imagine Harry or Meghan will have paid much attention to the Macron visit.

“If they did, they would probably feel relieved that they don’t have to get dressed up and perform what is a very delicate and probably quite stressful diplomatic duty.”

Prince Harry recently said that he would “love a reconciliation” with his father, though he claimed the king “won’t speak” to him(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

Given the years-long strained relationship between Prince Harry and King Charles, it’s no surprise that the monarch didn’t acknowledge the Duke of Sussex in his address.

Prince Harry recently told the BBC that he would “love a reconciliation” with his father, though he claimed the king “won’t speak” to him.

“There’s no point continuing to fight anymore, life is precious,” Harry said, adding that he has since “forgiven” them for their many “disagreements.”

Loose Women is among ITV’s daytime shows that are facing budget cuts in the coming months as insiders warn the show will be completely stripped back from its usual setup

Loose Women is facing major changes as ITV scramble to recoup costs

Loose Women is facing its biggest shake-up in decades, with dramatic changes that have left fans and cast members reeling as insiders fear the ITV favourite could be axed altogether within the next year.

The iconic lunchtime chat show, known for its bold debates and A-list guests, is expected to cut celebrity interviews completely from January as part of sweeping budget cuts across ITV Daytime. The move comes just months after bosses announced the show would only air for 30 weeks of the year rather than its usual 52, slashing production time nearly in half.

Now, with viewing figures predicted to tumble even further, sources claim Loose Women is “on borrowed time” as ITV pivots its focus to sister shows Lorraine and This Morning.

“It’s a real shame. In January, the programme will become a shell of its former self before it is inevitably cancelled altogether,” one TV insider told Mail Online.

No more celebrity guests

Over its 25 year history, Loose Women has welcomed some of the world’s biggest stars to the panel – from Naomi Campbell and Janet Jackson to Dame Joan Collins and even former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

But sources claim the show will no longer feature famous faces promoting their projects because there won’t be enough staff to manage guests behind the scenes.

Instead, those high-profile bookings will now reportedly be prioritised for Lorraine and This Morning, leaving Loose Women to rely solely on its panel discussions of the day’s news and lifestyle topics.

“Not having guests is a big blow for both the presenters and viewers at home,” an insider revealed.

“The celebrity interviews are often one of the highlights of the show and bring a unique energy you don’t get on other programmes. It feels like a strange decision to cut them altogether.”

Behind the scenes, the panel – including long-serving stars like Nadia Sawalha, Ruth Langsford and Coleen Nolan – are said to be “deeply upset” by the changes.

Studio audience scrapped

The cuts don’t stop there. Loose Women has already axed its live studio audience, a move that has left both the panel and crew heartbroken.

Nadia Sawalha admitted she was “totally devastated” at the loss of the audience and spoke out in support of her close friend and warm-up artist Lee Peart, who lost his job as a result.

“The audience is so important for the show,” Nadia said. “What a lot of people don’t realise is that we’re self-employed. Every contract is a new contract – I could be let go tomorrow or in five years. It’s brutal.”

She added: “Hundreds of people are going to be made redundant out of the blue. A lot of my friends and colleagues on this show and at ITV have been there for decades, and I can’t tell you how upsetting it was to see people walking around numb with shock and fear about what they were going to do.”

Reason behind changes

ITV bosses have blamed “insane inflation” and rising costs for the daytime cuts, which have also seen Lorraine halved to 30 minutes and reduced to term-time broadcasts.

In May, ITV confirmed that production of Good Morning Britain will shift to a dedicated team at ITV News, while Loose Women, Lorraine, and This Morning will merge behind-the-scenes teams to save costs.

But industry insiders warn that these measures will likely spell the end for Loose Women.

An ITV spokesperson said: “The Loose Women team is still working on the show and its content for next year.”

It comes after hot sauce entrepreneur Brooklyn shocked fans today by unfollowing both of his younger brothers, with relations between the siblings appearing to have soured beyond hope of repair

Cruz Beckham appears to have fully severed ties with older brother Brooklyn and sister-in-law Nicola Peltz by unfollowing them both on Instagram.

It comes after hot sauce entrepreneur Brooklyn shocked fans today by unfollowing both of his younger brothers, with relations between the siblings appearing to have soured beyond hope of repair. However, he is still following mum Victoria and dad David.

Just hours earlier, Cruz’s older brother Romeo issued his own savage response to Brooklyn unfollowing him by sharing a screenshot of his Spotify, showing he was listening to a song entitled Walking Away, from Justin Bieber’s new surprise album, titled Swag. As he shared the screengrab he wrote: “Yup” in a one word response to his brother’s latest brutal move.

Victoria and David’s eldest son had seemed to offer an olive brand amid the family feud earlier this week with a sweet tribute to sister Harper on her birthday. However, the move to distance himself from his brothers begs the question as to whether a war of words has been going on behind the scenes.

Cruz has unfollowed his brother Brooklyn and sister-in-law Nicola on Instagram

Brooklyn’s relationship with his brother Romeo in particular has appeared to deteriorate over the last few months following claims his younger brother’s ex-girlfriend Kim Turnbull was the source of their falling out.

In June, model Kim broke her silence on accusations that she had previously dated Brooklyn before sparking up a romance with Romeo. In a defiant statement on her Instagram account, she declared she would “not continue to receive harassment or be embarrassed on the basis of lies, to fit a certain narrative”. She clarified: “I have never been romantically involved in ANY capacity at ANY point with the person in question. Nothing between us has occurred further than a school friendship at age 16.”

Brooklyn Beckham appears to have severed ties with his younger brothers (
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
However, his soured relationship with Cruz had previously baffled Victoria and David, as they had previously never had a bad word said between them. Yet following Brooklyn’s snubbing towards his youngest brother when visiting London weeks after David’s birthday, Cruz has been very much on his parents’ side.

Brooklyn has snubbed a number of other family milestones of late. After failing to attend any of dad David’s 50th celebrations, he also publicly blanked the former footballer’s proud moment as it was announced he was being knighted.

Brooklyn wished Harper a happy birthday and appeared to offer up an olive branch (
Image:
INSTAGRAM)

The eldest Beckham son did wish David’s mum Sandra a happy birthday two weeks ago, despite ignoring both of his parents’ big days. Yet he didn’t do the same for Victoria’s dad Tony back in May.

Earlier this month, Nicola Peltz, 30, hit back at claims she is “controlling” husband Brooklyn after sharing photos from a party with friends. Fans had taken to the comments section to share well wishes over the occasion, but some people instead criticised Nicola and Brooklyn. It’s included the suggestion that Nicola is to blame for the rumoured rift between her husband and his parents.

Several fans however came to Nicola’s defence underneath the post, which included photos of Brooklyn beside Nelson. One comment, in which it was suggested that Brooklyn can make his own decisions, was liked by Nicola.

Her rise to fame from humble beginnings has been remarkable – but it didn’t stop GK Barry from feeling ‘terrified’ at the prospect of her first shows on Loose Women

GK Barry went from posting hilariously unfiltered content on TikTok during the Covid lockdowns in 2020, to launching her podcast, Saving Grace in 2022. Last year she made history by becoming the youngest panellist to join ITV chatshow Loose Women – something the in-demand 25-year-old says is a ‘dream come true’ for her.

Now a regular panellist on the female-led show, GK – real name Grace Keeling, admits during an exclusive chat with OK! that though she feels right at home now, it was a rather scary prospect stepping into the studio to do her first few shows, with the thought of debating with one particular panellist making her more nervous than others.

The TikTok star asked not to be put with Janet Street Porter at first – but said she was ‘adorable'(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

“I was terrified. I begged them, please wait till I’m in the groove before you put me on the panel with Janet Street-Porter!”, reveals the witty star, with trademark honesty. “Then I did my show with her and she was adorable. But I was so scared at the beginning, thinking, this audience doesn’t know me — I’m some young woman off TikTok. But now I love it.”

Grace, who was born in 1996 – the same year that Loose Women first came on-air, adds: “Sitting with Kaye [Adams], Denise [Welch]… Loose has me, Olivia [Attwood], Frankie [Bridge] giving a different perspective. It’s fascinating, they’re all such interesting women. They’ve lived a life, you know?”

And the social media sensation, who went public with her footballer girlfriend Ella Rutherford last year, admits that she does battle with imposter syndrome, from time to time., when she thinks of her incredible path to fame.

“I started this whole thing by accident, I expected nothing — though when I was a kid I did want to be a Pussycat Doll, which didn’t quite work out. Being in the public eye was an amazing accident.

Grace calls her impressive career trajectory ‘an amazing accident'(Image: Elisabeth Hoff / Reach PLC)

“Even in the jungle I’d be like, ‘What exactly have I done to be sitting here beside Tulisa and Coleen Rooney?’ I’m not sure, but I’m not complaining.”

She may have done an awful lot into her 25 years, but Grace has no intention of slowing down, and has a few burning ambitions she’d like to tick off. Her girlfriend would like her to do The Traitors, but she admits she’d swiftly get the boot as she “always looks guilty when she’s not”.

Grace admits that she would also love to be a guest on the sofa on The Graham Norton Show — but her absolute dream, she says, is to one day have her very own chat show, in the style of Alan Carr: Chatty Man.

GK Barry’s limited-edition Echo Falls Summer Berries isavailable from July until the end of summer at all majorgrocery stores. See Echo Falls on Instagram @echo_falls

While the Princess of Wales has long been an avid lover of the annual tennis tournament, there was one year she wasn’t allowed to attend after being ‘banned’ from making an appearance in the royal box

During the epic Wimbledon showdown of 2013, avid tennis fan Princess Kate was ‘banned’ from sitting courtside for the historic match (Image: Offside via Getty Images)

Princess Kate has long been an avid lover and supporter of Wimbledon, attending the annual tennis tournament numerous times over the years. While many royal spectators are hoping to catch a glimpse of the Princess of Wales this weekend for the finals, there have been a handful of times Kate has missed out on the action at SW19.

While Kate managed to make it to Wimbledon last year for the men’s final despite still being in recovery from her cancer treatment, there was one year that she was stopped from attending the tournament, despite her pleas to watch on from the royal box.

In 2013, Kate was forced to miss out on attending Wimbledon due to being heavily pregnant with Prince George (Image: PA)

During the tournament in 2013, the Princess was desperate to make it to the men’s singles final that saw Sir Andy Murray gunning to become the first British man to win the Grand Slam since Fred Perry in 1936, as he claimed the win in a stunning showdown against Novak Djokovic.

Kate was very eager to watch the match from courtside at Wimbledon, but as she was heavily pregnant with Prince George at the time, was advised not to attend and to watch the match from home instead.

Recalling the year she was forced to sit out of the action for the BBC documentary Our Wimbledon, Kate told sports host Sue Barker: “I was very heavily pregnant with George so I wasn’t able to turn up.” Sue replied: “But you had a great excuse!” to which Kate said: “I know but even still.”

Kate’s doctors advised her not to sit courtside for the match, and to instead take part in the action from home(Image: Dave Shopland/REX/Shutterstock)

“I was sort of ‘Maybe I could go’ but the doctors were like ‘no.’ I wrote to [Andy Murray] afterwards saying sorry for not being there, but huge congratulations.”

Kate gave birth to Prince George on July 22nd 2013 – just two weeks after the epic Wimbledon showdown.

Luckily for Kate, Andy Murray made the finals again three years later in 2016, and was able to attend in person, alongside Prince William, to see him lift the trophy after another winning performance.

Meeting Murray after his match, Kate said: “Many congratulations; it was a great game.” While William said: “So pleased for you, well done”, and Kate added: “You can relax with your family now.”

The Princess missed out on Andy Murray’s historic win, but managed to see him emerge victorious during the 2016 Wimbledon showdown(Image: PA Archive)

Andy Murray retired from professional tennis in 2024, as Kate sent the Scottish champion a message of support after he missed out on a final match at Wimbledon before his retirement.

Murray was due to play mixed doubles with Emma Raducanu last Saturday evening but the former US Open champion pulled out of the clash earlier in the day, citing stiffness in her right wrist.

In a personally-signed message on social media, Kate wrote: “An incredible #Wimbledon career comes to an end. You should be so very proud @andy_murray. On behalf of all of us, thank you! C.”

It comes despite Victoria and David’s eldest son appearing to offer an olive brand amid the family feud earlier this week with a sweet tribute to sister Harper

Brooklyn Beckham appears to have drawn battle lines by unfollowing his younger brothers Cruz and Romeo.

It comes despite Victoria and David’s eldest son appearing to offer an olive brand amid the family feud earlier this week with a sweet tribute to sister Harper on her birthday.

The 26-year-old hot sauce entrepreneur still follows his famous mum and dad, so it is unclear if a war of words between himself and his brothers may have been happening behind the scenes.

Those close to Brooklyn told The Sun today that Brooklyn and Nicola did not unfollow the brothers and had “no idea” about it until he read about it online. “It’s possible Romeo and Cruz blocked them, which would make it appear as him no longer following the brothers,” they said.

“He and Nicola certainly didn’t unfollow them or block them — they’re as confused as anyone else. The first they heard about it was when it was being reported on.”

Brooklyn’s relationship with his brother Romeo in particular has appeared to deteriorate over the last few months following claims his younger brother’s ex-girlfriend Kim Turnbull was the source of their falling out.

In June, model Kim broke her silence on accusations that she had previously dated Brooklyn before sparking up a romance with Romeo. In a defiant statement on her Instagram account, she declared she would “not continue to receive harassment or be embarrassed on the basis of lies, to fit a certain narrative”. She clarified: “I have never been romantically involved in ANY capacity at ANY point with the person in question. Nothing between us has occurred further than a school friendship at age 16.”

Brooklyn appears to have fallen out with Romeo and Cruz ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
However, his soured relationship with Cruz had previously baffled Victoria and David, as they had previously never had a bad word said between them. Yet following Brooklyn’s snubbing towards his youngest brother when visiting London weeks after David’s birthday, Cruz has been very much on his parents’ side.

On Thursday, Brooklyn paid tribute to sister Harper with a photo of himself and wife Nicola Peltz alongside his sister on his Instagram Stories. Brooklyn wrote on the upload: “Happy birthday harper we love u x,” and tagged his wife. The actress, 30, reshared the post on her own Story.

Brooklyn was 12 when his youngest sibling was born. The pair have been very close over the years, but there was said to be tension from those close to the family who were worried he wouldn’t reach out at all amid a family feud.

Brooklyn Beckham appears to have severed ties with his younger brothers ( 
Image:
davidbeckham/Instagram)
Sources shared their fears after both Brooklyn and Nicola failed to see Harper when they visited London in May to film an advert. The location for the shoot was just over a mile from the family home.

The worry came after Brooklyn had snubbed a number of other family milestones of late. After failing to attend any of dad David’s 50th celebrations, he also publicly blanked the former footballer’s proud moment as it was announced he was being knighted.

He wished Harper a happy birthday ( 
Image:
INSTAGRAM)
Brooklyn’s brothers Romeo and Cruz also wished their sister a happy birthday on the social media platform alongside David and Victoria.

The eldest Beckham son did wish David’s mum Sandra a happy birthday two weeks ago, despite ignoring both of his parents’ big days. Yet he didn’t do the same for Victoria’s dad Tony back in May.

Earlier this month, Nicola Peltz, 30, hit back at claims she is “controlling” husband Brooklyn after sharing photos from a party with friends. Fans had taken to the comments section to share well wishes over the occasion, but some people instead criticised Nicola and Brooklyn. It’s included the suggestion that Nicola is to blame for the rumoured rift between her husband and his parents.

Several fans however came to Nicola’s defence underneath the post, which included photos of Brooklyn beside Nelson. One comment, in which it was suggested that Brooklyn can make his own decisions, was liked by Nicola.