Andy Murray won his first-round Wimbledon match under the watchful eyes of royalty and a special guest on Tuesday.

Seated behind Catherine, the Princess of Wales, and tennis royalty Roger Federer was British-Iranian national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was invited to sit in Centre Court’s Royal Box at Murray’s request.

Wimbledon’s Instagram handle shared a series of images on Wednesday, elaborating the duo’s connection.

Charity worker Nazanin, who spent six years in an Iran prison before being released last year, told Murray in December how watching him win the 2016 Wimbledon title gave her rare joy in prison, where she had a TV with two channels, one of them showing the Wimbledon matches. “They (the jailers) had no idea what they had given me… there I was in solitary confinement, watching the match… I can’t tell you how joyful it was,” Nazanin said.

Murray, who won the all-Brit first-round match 6-3, 6-0, 6-1 over wild card entry Ryan Peniston on Tuesday, said after speaking to Nazanin, he “wanted to invite her tocome along and watch tennis in totally different circumstances”.

“It was amazing to have some royalty here, but also some tennis royalty, as well,” Murray said during his on-court interview, as Princess of Wales Kate and eight-time Wimbledon champion Federer looked on and Nazanin sat behind them — next to the Swiss legend’s parents.

“I’m glad she could make it,” the 36-year-old Scotsman said of his guest’s presence in the Royal Box.

Knowing her story, Murray described her tale as “the strangest, most incredible story that I’ve been told about someone watching me”, Wimbledon wrote.