Kate Middleton reveals hilarious family secrets from Wimbledon

Kate wrote to Wimbledon champion Andy Murray to apologise for her absence when she couldn't attend due to her pregnancy. Photo / Getty

The Duchess of Cambridge has revealed that she begged her doctor to let her attend the Wimbledon final when she was pregnant back in 2013 - but he told her 'definitely not'.

Kate, who gave birth to Prince George on July 22 - just two weeks' after Andy Murray beat Novak Djokovic, also revealed that she wrote to the Wimbledon champion to apologise for her absence.

'I was very heavily pregnant. I wrote to him [Murray] afterwards saying sorry for not being there.'

Avid tennis fan Kate, 35, who was eight months pregnant with Prince George at the time, shared the story with presenter Sue Barker in a candid BBC documentary about tennis.

Kate, who famously had a tennis court built at her Amner Hall home, also shared hilarious anecdotes about her mother's crush on Roger Federer, her father accidentally calling Tim Henman 'Pete' and her dreams of becoming a tennis star.

The mother-of-two, who was speaking on the show in her role as patron of All England Lawn Tennis Club, also shared some hilarious anecdotes about her family.

Sharing her mother Carole's secret crush, she told Sue: 'I have watched Wimbledon, that was very much part of my growing up.

"Roger [Federer] is my mother's heartthrob. I don't think she will mind me saying that! I think he probably knows that too."

Federer was one of the more surprising guests at Pippa Middleton's wedding this summer.

Kate also shared one of her father's tennis faux pas, explaining: "My father is not going to appreciate this but we were walking past Tim Henman and had just seen Sampras play.

"My dad said 'Hi Pete'. I was mortified."

Kate regularly joins the royals and tennis legends in the Royal Box - but that wasn't always the case for the commoner, who admitted she used to queue for hours to get a ticket.

"Being able to go into Wimbledon and be part of an amazing atmosphere is special," she said.

She also revealed that she often feels tempted by a career in tennis, adding: "It inspires young people including myself. Every time Wimbledon is on I am thinking 'Yes, I could do the same' and get out the racket. Sadly, not the same results."

The Duchess of Cambridge took on the prestigious tennis patronage role last year as The Queen handed over two of her most high-profile patronages.

Kate became patron of the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, which hosts the Wimbledon championships - after Her Majesty enjoyed 64 years in the role.

While Kate is a regular face in the royal box at Wimbledon, the Queen has attended the championships just three times since her first appearance in 1957.