Kate Middleton always draws a crowd at Wimbledon. Her appearance at the annual tennis tournament on Saturday, July 12, was no different. But this year, someone else close to the royal also grabbed a lot of attention. As fans enjoyed seeing the Princess of Wales courtside, her private secretary, Lieutenant Colonel Tom White, got many people talking online.
Social media lit up with comments about White. “He’s a silver fox!” one fan posted on X. Another simply added, “I mean, silver fox.” White caused similar excitement when he first joined the royal household in February 2024. Back then, a fan on X wrote, “Oh, he looks like Roger Federer.”
White was there to support Princess Kate, 43, who seemed quite moved by the event. She greeted the crowd and tennis legend Billie Jean King. Kate has been a regular at Wimbledon for years, as she is a patron of the All England Club.
According to reports from The Sun, White is a married man. He and his wife, Stephanie, have a daughter, and their family lives in London. The report also mentioned that White shares a love for tennis with the Princess of Wales.
A Distinguished Career
Before his current role, White served as an equerry to Queen Elizabeth II. This historical position means he helped oversee the royal stables. It also involves serving as an assistant to a royal family member.
His path to Buckingham Palace included a military career. White was an officer in the Royal Marines in Afghanistan when he was just 22. This detail was reported by The Telegraph in 2023. He is credited with a brave act there. He helped his troops and nearby civilians, including children, avoid an explosion. This happened at a school in the southern Helmand province.
“It makes your stomach turn thinking what could have happened if we hadn’t found the bombs,” the outlet quoted him saying at the time. “These people knew they could have blown a lot of children up, and they didn’t care.”
White also holds a unique distinction. He is the first man to serve as the Princess of Wales’s private secretary. This role is very important for royal family members. A private secretary helps arrange national and international duties, public events, and various programs. This information comes from the official royal family website. A private secretary for King Charles takes on an even bigger role. They often advise on constitutional matters. They handle everything from speeches and letters to official gifts and messages of congratulations to the public.
Kate Middleton Clive Brunskill/Getty Images