The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II with the Imperial State Crown resting on top is carried by the Bearer Party as it departs Westminster Abbey during the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19, 2022 in London

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The pallbearers who carriedQueen Elizabeth’s coffin during her funeral in September were honored with an invitation to Wimbledon.

On Saturday, 11 members of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards who acted as pallbearers for the late Queen watched the tennis tournament from seats beside the Royal Box at Centre Court.

“Alongside the Royal Box, we are also particularly proud this year to welcome and thank the team of 11 members of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards who so nobly acted as pallbearers at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II,” said journalist and presenter Clare Balding at the tournament, according toThe Independent. “And to the Ensign for the escort of Her Majesty’s procession in London who carried the Queen’s company colour, the Royal Standard of the regiment, for Her Majesty’s funeral in Windsor.”

Queen Elizabeth’s funeral pallbearers attend Wimbledon on July 8.Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty

Military personnel including Members of 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards, who were pallbearers at the funeral in 2022 of Queen Elizabeth II, in the royal box on day six of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon. Picture date: Saturday July 8, 2023.

Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty

Eight of the pallbearers were previously recognized as recipients of the Royal Victorian Order for their service to Queen Elizabeth, according to theBBC.

“I can’t imagine how hard and emotionally challenging it must have been to have carried her late Majesty’s coffin just once,” Member of Parliament Tom Hunt said at the time of the funeral, per the outlet. “With billions watching, they’ve done her late Majesty and the country proud.”

Roger Federer of Switzerland is applauded by Her Royal Highness, Catherine, Princess of Wales and his wife Mirka Federer after arriving at the Centre Court’s Royal Box to a standing ovation during the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at Wimbledon on July 04, 2023

Tim Clayton/Corbis

Queen Elizabeth was the royal patron of the All-England Club from 1952 to 2016, a patronage that she passed to her granddaughter-in-lawKate Middleton. The Princess of Wales is a regular at the famed sporting event each year,attending last weekbeside tennis legend Roger Federer.

And Princess Kate is not the only member of the royal family known to attend the tennis tournament:Princess Beatrice,Princess EugenieandMeghan Markleare among those who have watched from the Royal Box in previous years.

Kate is even passing her love of the sport down to the next generation. In July 2022, Kate andPrince Williamflanked their sonPrince Georgeas the young royal made hisWimbledon debut.

Kate Middleton and Prince George attend Wimbledon in 2022.Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 10: (L-R) Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George of Cambridge interact in the Royal Box watching Novak Djokovic of Serbia play Nick Kyrgios of Australia during their Men’s Singles Final match on day fourteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2022 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 10, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Princess Katerecently hiton the iconic courts herself with Federer. In a video shared on June 25 ahead of Wimbledon, she meets the athlete on the court and talks to him before playing a doubles game.

“Shall we play some tennis?" he asks her, to which she responds, “Yes, please.”

The pair then play a few sets, before watching the ball boys and girls do a ball change.

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At the end of the video, Kate says, “To see the training and the dedication and the amount of time that is put into the training and making sure this goes well on the day for the champions who are playing at Wimbledon…Yeah, it’s incredible to see it behind the scenes.”

source: people.com