Pippa Middleton broke huge Wimbledon rule and was refused entry in Royal Box with Kate
We're just a matter of days away until celebrities, politicians, and, of course, the royals rally together to attend Wimbledon, which kicks off next week (29 June).
Amid all the tennis playing, strawberries and copious amounts of Pimms, fans will no doubt be keen to see who sits where in the Royal Box - AKA the area which has been used 'for the entertainment of friends and guests of Wimbledon since way back when in 1922.
British and overseas royal families are often invited to the VIP-only area, as well as heads of government, people from the world of tennis, commercial partners, prominent media organisations, famous faces, supporters of British tennis, and many more.
With that said, however, such invitees have to follow a very strict set of rules when it comes to the Royal Box or else they'll risk getting turned away altogether.
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And Kate Middleton's sister, Pippa, knows that firsthand after being denied entry back in 2017 due to a late arrival.
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 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 whale of a time.
Meghan Markle also reportedly got turned away in 2019 due to another dress code-related issue - and it’s not what you’d expect.
The Duchess of Sussex turned up to watch the tennis competition in a pair of blue jeans, something that is not permitted, according to The Times.
The protocol is to dress smartly - this means suits and jackets with a tie for men.
Ladies are also asked not to wear hats, as they tend to obscure the vision of those seated behind them.
Lewis Hamilton knows about the seriousness of the dress code all too well, after he famously missed the legendary final match between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer because he in 2015 didn’t stick to the dress code.
The Wimbledon website explains that gentlemen in the Royal Box must wear a tie - something that he seemed to forget.
It also didn’t help that the Formula 1 star also arrived 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.
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: Kate Middleton, Royal Family, UK News, Fashion, Wimbledon
Rhiannon Ingle