Tennis champion Laura Robson has experienced some incredible moments during her career, from winning Junior Wimbledon at the age of 14 to scooping a silver medal with her mixed doubles partner, Andy Murray, at the London Olympics. But off court, one of her greatest memories is of spending time with the Princess of Wales when they spectated together at Wimbledon, describing the special day as "a really cool experience". Laura, who was on the player relations team at the time two years ago, exclusively tells HELLO! that she "didn’t know that was going to be part of my job that day". "[Kate] really loves her tennis," she recalls. "We went out to watch [British female No. 1] Katie Boulter, and then she was going for lunch with Roger Federer afterwards because they were all in the royal box that day. "I think it’s just great to see someone like that support tennis and to have such a passion for it, and the rest of her family are always at Wimbledon as well, so the more support the better." After being forced to end her playing career in 2022 due to injury, Laura, 31, is now behind one of the most hotly anticipated dates on the British tennis calendar: she is tournament director for the new Women’s WTA 500 event at London’s historic The Queen’s Club. Taking place in June, the tournament sees female players compete at the exclusive members-only tennis club in West London – founded in 1886 – for the first time since 1973. And perhaps there, amid the terraces lined with tulips, she will be reunited with the Princess of Wales, who is the royal patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. "I would love to see her at the women’s event here." Her enthusiasm for the new event – running from 9-15 June – is infectious. Sponsored by HSBC, the men’s championships, which have been held at the club since 1889 and follow this year from 16 June, are one of the most-watched grass court events of the season, and the WTA event is expected to be equally popular. British tennis stars Katie – a good friend of Laura's – and Emma Raducanu are hoping to play, as are Australian Open champion Madison Keys, four-time major winner Naomi Osaka and last year’s Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova. "The players are really excited," says Laura. "The women have known about the club for so long but have never been able to play here." Many will wonder why women’s tournament tennis stopped more than 50 years ago at the £15,000-a-year members’ club. Laura explains: "Because of the site being what it is, the tournament couldn’t grow as a combined event, which is what it was then. That’s where tournaments like Nottingham [where Laura was tournament director from 2022 until 2024] and Eastbourne came about, and they were women-specific for a while." Now, though, it makes sense that the four biggest UK tournaments are all male and female events, Laura says. "Hopefully people will see it [Queen’s] as a two-week tennis festival and come to both." She’s already implemented a crucial change in her new role: this year will see the introduction of a children’s creche for players’ and coaches’ families. "A lot of players rent houses rather than stay at hotels across these weeks and they want to bring their kids," she explains. "It really feels like a club experience, whereas Wimbledon is huge and you’re so far away from the players. Queen’s is so intimate, you’re going to see the best players in the world from a really close standpoint." Who does she tip to win? "I’m hesitant to say one person, but I think as a director of a British tournament, you always want the Brits to do well," she says with a smile. Tickets to the HSBC Championships and all the LTAs grass court events are on sale via www.LTA.org.uk Photographer: Damien Hockey Hair & Make-up: Julie Rea @ Carol Hayes Management To read the full exclusive interview, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK on Monday. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.