Pippa Middleton spotted breaking major Wimbledon Royal Box rule for the second time
Pippa Middleton has officially made her return to Wimbledon after giving the annual tennis tournament a pass last year.
The younger sister of Kate Middleton, 42, was spotted at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on Monday afternoon (6 July) sitting in the Royal Box alongside her mother, Carole.
She wore Reformation's Naira dress in a white and red floral pattern, paired with a J.Crew fan rattan clutch and some of sunnies.
Pippa also seemingly broke one of Wimbledon’s Royal Box rules, though, and not for the first time, as she also sported a large, wide-brimmed hat.
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The Royal Box has been used ‘for the entertainment of friends and guests of Wimbledon’ since way back when in 1922.
It’s where you’ll find Royal Family members, celebrities, and politicians who have bagged an invite from the All England Club.
However, this means it also comes with a strict set of rules for attendees, including a dress code that must be followed.
Wimbledon's Royal Box rules
The Wimbledon website stresses that Royal Box guests must dress smart with suits, jackets, and ties for men, while women are asked not to wear hats, as ‘they tend to obscure the vision of those seated behind them’.
So, it was surprising to see that the author was wearing one, although photos from the event do show that she had it off sometimes.
And the tournament has previously relaxed the rule during times of extreme heat, so attendees can protect themselves from the sun, so this might have also been the case.
But, it’s not the first time that Pippa has been victim to the age-old Wimbledon rules, as she previously got denied entry to the box .
In 2017, her late arrival to the tournament meant she and Carole were denied entry to sit with the rest of their family to see Andy Murray take on French professional Benoit Paire.
Instead of getting to sit with their fellow celebrities, they were taken to the regular seats, situated behind the box.
However, it didn’t seem to get them down, as in all of the photos from the day out, they seemed to be having a great time.
Meghan Markle also reportedly got turned away in 2019 due to another dress code-related issue, as she sported a pair of blue denim jeans, which apparently didn’t fit the ‘smart dress’ protocol.
Lewis Hamilton also got turned away due to a dress code rule break in 2016, meaning he missed the legendary final match between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
The reason why? He simply forgot to wear a tie - and was fashionably late.
Wimbledon’s strangest rules
Wimbledon has strict rules and regulations for pretty much everything - from the length of the grass to the temperature of the tennis balls, and you can be fined thousands of pounds for certain conduct violations.
Curfew
While at other grand slams, play continues late into the night, at Wimbledon there’s a strict 11pm curfew.
This means tennis fans sometimes have to go to bed on a cliffhanger.
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal’s 2018 semi-final clash was suspended after the third set. Meanwhile, Andy Murray was particularly peeved when he was in the lead against Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2023, but went on to lose when the game was paused overnight and restarted the following morning.
Timed toilet breaks
Players are limited to one toilet break for matches up to three sets, and two if it goes on for longer.
They can only go during a set change and they have to be back within three minutes, or they risk giving a point to their opponent.
The longest ever Wimbledon match lasted a whopping 11 hours over three days, so players better get their nervous wees in before the match.
Temper tantrums
Players can be fined up to £36,900 for smashing their rackets. Djokovic is believed to have smashed over 60 of them over the course of his career.
Bad language can also result in the same maximum fine.
Countdown to serve
As soon as the ball goes out of play, the serving player has just 25 seconds to hit their serve, or the umpire can call a violation which could potentially grant a point to their opponent.
Fines for not trying hard enough
Players must demonstrate they’re giving their all to win the match. Australian player Bernard Tomic was fined an eye-watering £45,000 after he was accused of not putting in enough effort to beat French player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, losing after just 58 minutes.
Age limits
Players have to be at least 14 to compete, which means youth sensations like Coco Gauff were initially barred from taking part.
Spectators, meanwhile, have to be accompanied by a guardian if they’re under 16. Under-fives aren’t permitted at all onto show courts.
This meant Serena Williams' two-year-old daughter Adira River couldn't watch her mum's comeback at this year's grand slam, while not all of Andy Murray's four children could watch his final doubles appearance in 2024.
The grass and the balls
Everything at Wimbledon is just so. The grass is cut to 8mm, which is apparently best suited for modern tennis play and for the grass to survive.
Meanwhile, the tennis balls are kept in a fridge in order to maintain a constant temperature of 20°C. A consistent temperature is important because it apparently affects the way the balls bounce. The more you know.
Tennis whites
It was originally just female players who were required to wear all-white on the court. According to Tennis Fashions: Over 125 Years of Costume Change, the rule was introduced because it was ‘quite unthinkable that a lady should be seen to perspire’. OK then…
Eventually, the rule was imposed on men too.
A single trim of colour is allowed around the neckline and sleeve cuffs, but this must be no thicker than 1cm.
In 2022, an exception was made so women could wear dark undershorts to feel more comfortable if they were on their periods.
Topics: Wimbledon, Royal Family, Celebrity, UK News, Fashion
Madison Burgess