As Wimbledon 2023 gets underway, the Royal Family will once again be out in full force at the All England Lawn Tennis Club - and one tennis star has a unique link to the royals through her fiance
As Wimbledon swings into action once more, royal watchers are keen to know when they'll spot members of the Royal Family in the stands. Regular attendees include The Prince and Princess of Wales and The Duke of Kent.
Many famous tennis players have ties with the royals, from Rafael Nadal's close friendship with The Princess of Wales to Serena Williams' strong bond with The Duchess of Sussex. However, there's another connection between a world-renowned tennis star and Prince William, courtesy of her fiancé.
Tennis ace Maria Sharapova has been in a relationship with Alexander Gilkes since 2018, and they announced their engagement on December 17, 2021. In April 2021, the couple revealed they were expecting their first child who was born in July 2022.
This puts Sharapova in the unique position of being the latest tennis player linked to the Royal Family, as her fiancé is a good friend of both Prince William and Prince Harry.
Alexander Mark Heming Gilkes, a Londoner born in July 1979, has made a name for himself in the art world, using connections that date back to his time at Eton College and later at the University of Bristol. He shared his Eton years with Prince William, and has kept a close bond with the future king.
He also has a link to Kate through his brother Charlie Gilkes, who previously dated Pippa Middleton. Alexander Gilkes, a prominent figure in the art world, co-founded the online auction house Paddle8 back in 2011 and was at the helm as president until his departure in 2018. His connections to royalty include Princess Eugenie, who spent some time working at Paddle8.
Before he started dating tennis superstar Maria Sharapova in 2018, Gilkes was married to fashion designer Misha Nonoo, who is friends with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and is rumoured to have set them up.
The couple announced their engagement on Instagram in 2021, with Maria sharing: "I said yes from the first day we met. This was our little secret, wasn't it @gilkesa." Gilkes also expressed his joy, posting: "Thank you for making me a very very happy boy. I look forward to a lifetime of loving you, and learning from you @mariasharapova."