The rules and controversies of Wimbledon’s Royal Box
Not all attendees at Wimbledon’s Royal Box are royal, but all must abide by its rules. Find out what they are, and what happens when they’re broken, here.
Image: Queen Elizabeth II sitting in the Royal Box during the 2010 tournament | Juergen Hasenkopf / Alamy Stock Photo
The strawberries are ripe, the cream is chilled and the whites have just finished a spin cycle, which can only mean one thing: Wimbledon is here.
The best place to take in the action, of course, is SW19 itself – and there are no better seats in the house than those found in the Royal Box. As the name suggests, these are reserved for members of the royal family, along with a host of other dignitaries, luminaries and celebrities from all walks of life.
But despite their lofty status, these stars must adhere to a strict set of regulations – and woe betide those who don’t. Join us at Sky HISTORY as we examine the rule sheet and the instances throughout Wimbledon’s lengthy history where it has caused embarrassment for those who have fallen foul of it.
What is the Royal Box and who can enter it?
The Royal Box is an exclusive seating area on Centre Court which offers the best views from one of its 74 green wicker chairs. Members of the royal family are, of course, often to be seen in attendance – and that includes royal children. All other children are strictly prohibited.
In addition to the royal contingent, there is also a lengthy lineup of who’s who from the worlds of politics, sport, film, fashion and just about any other walk of life you care to think of. However, all guests – including the royals – are able to attend only if they receive a personal invite from the Chair of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, which is currently Debbie Jevans (the first woman to hold the role).
As well as getting the best view in the house, Royal Box attendees also benefit from access to the intimate clubhouse, where they are served lunch, tea and champagne with the best china and the finest wines.
In return, they are expected to observe the strict dress code of the Royal Box. This dictates that all male attendees must wear a suit and tie, while females are not required to wear a hat (as they would on other formal occasions) due to its tendency to block the view of those sitting behind them.
Royal ruckuses
Despite their privileged position, the Royal Family have occasionally come up against the uncompromising nature of these rules. Perhaps the most memorable incident occurred in 1999, when the Duchess of Kent became embroiled in a public spat with the then Chairman, John Curry.
The Duchess, who was a long-time patron of the sport and a familiar face at Wimbledon, tried to invite the 12-year-old son of a recently deceased friend into the Royal Box. While she had hoped the gesture might alleviate some of the boy’s grief, the request was rejected by Curry since the youngster was a non-royal. There was talk of the Duchess boycotting the event as a result, though the rift was eventually healed.
Meanwhile, Pippa Middleton was also turned away from the Royal Box in 2017. Due to the fact that she and her mother Carole arrived late for the start of Andy Murray’s match against Benoit Paire, they were forced to watch it from the standard seats with the riffraff.
Even her sister has had to stay away from the Royal Box on occasion. The Duchess of Wales, Catherine, was prohibited from attending Wimbledon in 2013 due to her heavy pregnancy with son George. Then in 2021, a COVID-19 alert on her phone forced the Duchess to make a swift exit from the stands to self-isolate.
Celebs causing controversy
Outside of the royal family, plenty of other big names have also been turned away from the Royal Box’s inviting confines. The most high-profile incident in recent memory occurred in 2015, when F1 ace Lewis Hamilton was left with egg on his face.
Despite holding a strong claim to being one of the best individual sportspeople of all time, Hamilton failed to adhere to the Box’s dress code. Instead of donning a tie and suit jacket, he turned up in a flowery shirt and was refused entry as a result. He later posted a moody picture of himself missing the men’s final from the privileged perch.
Meanwhile, Romanian tennis legend Ilie Nastase courted controversy throughout his career, but found himself in hot water with the Wimbledon authorities in 2017. After scandalous comments about Serena Williams’ baby and Anne Keothovang’s hotel room number, he unleashed a foul-mouthed tirade against British player Johanna Konta during a Fed Cup tie. His invite to the Royal Box was swiftly rescinded.
Even those who have made it onto the iconic Lloyd Loom chairs haven’t found it to be all plain sailing. Bradley Cooper got into an apparent tiff with his then-girlfriend Irina Shayk in 2016, while Labour MPs copped a lot of flak in 2017 for enjoying the elitist seating area just weeks after running a 'for the many, not the few' campaign.
Sticklers for convention
Why, exactly, are the organisers of Wimbledon so intent on upholding these arbitrary and outdated rules for the Royal Box? It appears to be connected to their PR image, and the history of stuffy conventions that goes with it.
One such custom that has been dispensed with, at least, is that of players applauding the Royal Box upon arrival onto Centre Court. Although still observed when King Charles III is in attendance, the cumbersome tradition was mostly scrapped by the Duke of Kent in 2003.
The players themselves still have to put up with a plethora of rules and regulations, however. Chief among these is the colour of the clothing they wear, with all t-shirts, shorts or skirts having to be 'almost entirely white' (aside from a colourful trim of less than 1cm in thickness) in order for them to be allowed on court.
Are these hoops that the players and spectators must jump through just stuff and nonsense? Or are they part of the tradition that make Wimbledon such a grand old spectacle? You decide.
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