Why Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle got away with breaking the exact same major Wimbledon rule
Wimbledon’s dress code is famously strict, however, does being a princess earn a royal exception?
The Royal Box offers the most exclusive seats at the British tennis tournament and it’s where the fashion of spectators is scrutinised almost as much as what's going on down on the court.
Despite its name, the Royal Box is not solely for the royal family. This 74-seating area is invitation only, at the discretion of the Chairman of the All England Club and has been used as a fancy space since 1922 for ‘British and overseas Royal Families,’ plus ‘heads of government, people from the world of tennis, commercial partners, British armed forces, prominent media organisations, supporters of British tennis and other walks of life,’ according to the Wimbledon website.
This year is no different, with some of the big names spotted in the best seats in the house already including Olivia Rodrigo, Tom Daley, Eddie Redmayne, and Princess Beatrice.
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For the chosen few invited to the Royal Box, they have to adhere to the strict dress code to ensure they can actually sit on one of the chairs. Smart attire is required, consisting of a jacket and tie for men, and an afternoon dress or ‘elegant’ trouser suit for women. Even Prince George wore a suit and tie for his Royal Box Wimbledon debut in 2022.
However, one summer accessory is best avoided even if both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle both managed to get away with wearing one each.
“Ladies are asked not to wear hats, as they tend to obscure the vision of those seated behind them,” Wimbledon explains.
On days that are particularly hot and sunny, Wimbledon will distribute hats to Royal Box guests that feature a purple and green ribbon.
With that said, the Duchess of Wales was pictured wearing her own hat at the Women’s Singles Final in 2022.
The Duchess of Sussex was pictured holding a white straw hat when attending Wimbledon alongside her sister-in-law in 2018. She was reportedly prohibited from wearing it due to the same strict Royal Box rules.
She did, however, wear a hat in 2019 but she was not seated in the Royal Box.
Not even A-list sports stars or relatives of the royals can break the rules, just as Lewis Hamilton and Kate's sister Pippa Middleton.
In 2015, the Formula One legend, now 40, famously missed the legendary final match between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer because he didn’t stick to the dress code.
Pippa Middleton, was also turned away on the big day just a few years later in 2017.
According to the Daily Express, Pippa and her mother Carole were denied the chance to sit with the rest of their family because they turned up late.
The pair reportedly showed up just a little bit too late to see Andy Murray take on French professional Benoit Paire.
Instead of getting to sit with their fellow famous faces, 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 fab time.
Topics: News, Wimbledon, Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, Fashion, Sport
Greg Harris