Here’s Why The Royals Always Go To Wimbledon

Love Kate Middleton’s always-amazing Wimbledon looks? Wondering when she developed an interest in tennis? Just like white outfits and strawberries and cream, the British royals are intrinsically linked to the Wimbledon tennis championships. Every year, members of the royal family are invited to the Royal Box, the most exclusive of enclosures, along with a slew of celebs. Numerous royals attend – Kate, of course, is a particularly avid fan, often visiting with Prince William, Duke of Cambridge. But the royals’ connection with Wimbledon dates back many years – here we look at the history.

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What Is The British Royal Family’s Connection To Wimbledon?

Henry VIII was the first recorded royal to show an interest in tennis, often playing at Hampton Court. The first ever Wimbledon Championships took place in 1877, but the first royal visit wasn’t until 1907, when King George V and Queen Mary, then the Prince and Princess of Wales, attended. That same year, the Prince of Wales became the president of the All England Club – and ever since, a member of the royal family has been involved, either as president or as a patron. The Queen was patron from 1952 until 2016, although she only attended the tournament four times. On her 90th birthday she retired from the role, handing the baton on to Kate.

The Royal Box was opened in 1922, and since then it has been used to host members of the royal family, alongside A-listers and heads of government. Invitations come from the Chairman of the All England Club, and guests are invited to the clubhouse for lunch, tea and drinks at the end of the day. It’s always a star-studded affair, with high-profile guests from all walks of life: in 2023, for instance, the Royal Box saw David Beckham and Tim Peake rubbing shoulders with Prince Michael of Kent and Wimbledon champion Pat Cash.

So far this year we’ve seen everyone from Gary Lineker to astronaut Tim Peake; Olympians Ben Ainslie, Helen Glover and Tom Daley; acting royalty spanning Celia Imrie to Cate Blanchett and Leslie Mann; queen of cakes Mary Berry; and pop princess Olivia Rodrigo with her British actor boyfriend Louis Partridge. And as for Royals proper, Princess Beatrice, Sarah Ferguson, Lady Amelia Windsor, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, the Earl and Countess of St Andrews, and Lady Rose Gilman have all been in attendance.

While many of the royals are big fans of the game, just one has competed in the Championships. In 1926, Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI (the then-Duke of York) played in the doubles tournament with his long-time friend Sir Louis Greig. Sadly, they were eliminated in the first round by former champions Herbert Roper Barrett and Arthur Gore.

In 1969, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, became president of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club – but last year he stepped down from the role, passing his duties on to Kate. She’ll no doubt be there this year cheering on the players. Not only does she have a personal interest in the sport, it’s part of Kate’s official role to represent the royal family at sporting events. Speaking about Wimbledon in a BBC documentary, she said: ‘It’s such… a quintessential part of the English summer, and I think it really inspires youngsters. It inspired me, when I was younger, to get involved in the game. It hasn’t changed either, I think that’s what’s so wonderful.’

How Does The Royal Box Work?

Dating back to 1992, Wimbledon’s Royal Box is an 74-seat enclosure in Centre Court. Attendance is by invitation only, with Royals, former tennis players and public figures of note welcomed each day of the tournament, with invitees treated to lunch in the Clubhouse, afternoon tea and drinks at the end of the day, too. Situated at the south end of Centre Court (where the tournament’s most high profile matches are played) and demarcated by wooden surroundings and different chairs (dark green Lloyd Loom wicker chairs, to be precise), the result is another sport for tennis fans to spectate on: celebrity spotting.

While the Royals may give their name to this prestigious seating zone, however, they’re not behind the guest list. That duty falls to the All England Lawn Tennis Club’s chair Deborah Jevans. It’s also worth noting that being a British royal does not guarantee your spot in the Royal Box: Lord Frederick, Lady Gabriella, Lady Marina and Lady Amelia Windsor have all attended Wimbledon in 2025 and not sat in the Royal Box.

The days often follow themes in the guest list. In 2025, Day 4 for instance saw a thread of contribution to the global good running through Royal Box guests: Earthshot vice chair David Fein sat with previous prize winner Rita El Zaghloul, while London Wildlife Trust CEO David Mooney, UK Special Representative for Climate Rachel Kyte, Imperial College London’s Professor of Sustainable Energy Sir James Skea and the UK’s head of Mission for Clean Power Chris Stark were all spotted in the Royal Box too.

Day 6 (‘Super Saturday’) meanwhile sees a sporting takeover of the Royal Box: in 2025, this included tennis legend Billie Jean King along with former players Andy Roddick and Vijay Amritraj; Olympic sailors Sir Ben Ainslie and Peter Burling; famed rowers Sir Steve Redgrave, Helen Glover, Giedrė Rakauskaitė and Lauren Rowles; rugby players Danny Care, Jason Leonard and Brian O’Driscoll; cycling power couple Sir Jason Kenny and Dame Laura Kenny; and scores more.