All About the Royal Box at Wimbledon, Including Who Gets to Sit in the Coveted Seats
Here's what to know about the most exclusive seats located inside Centre Court at the prestigious tennis tournament held in London each year
These Wimbledon seats are fit for a king!
Known as the Royal Box, the 74-seat suite inside Centre Court at the prestigious Grand Slam tennis tournament in London is one of the most exclusive invitations in town.
Its name alone hints at the guests who are granted access. While the British Royal Family are regular attendees, the Royal Box is not solely reserved for royalty; some of the biggest names in politics and sports may also be seen in the stands.
Aligning with the tennis tournaments' iconic rules and regulations — including the famed "wear white" rule players must follow on and around the court — spectators sitting in the Royal Box must abide by a slew of guidelines, too.
Understandably, the suite guidelines guests must follow are notably stricter than the general admission tickets, and that includes the dress code.
There are no exceptions for celebrities, either! Formula 1 star Sir Lewis Hamilton was denied entry into the Royal Box during Wimbledon 2023 “due to an unfortunate misunderstanding" of the rules.
Read on to learn more about the Royal Box at Wimbledon, which streams live on the Tennis Channel between July 1 and July 14 this year.
Related: The Most Surprising Wimbledon Rules You Didn't Know Players and Spectators Must Follow
What is the Royal Box at Wimbledon?
The Royal Box is a reserved suite of seats at Wimbledon, located inside Centre Court at the tennis tournaments held in London. According to the event's official website, the Royal Box has been used for the "entertainment of friends and guests of Wimbledon since 1922."
The suite consists of 74 dark green Lloyd Loom wicker chairs, that overlook the court. Guests of the Royal Box are welcome to the Clubhouse for lunch, tea and drinks at the end of the day.
Who gets to sit in the Royal Box?
John Walton/PA Images via Getty
David Beckham and Sandra Beckham in Center Court's Royal Box at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships.Those who are invited to sit in one of the 74 seats located within the century-old suite include British and overseas royal families.
Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, regularly attends Wimbledon and, as the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, has awarded trophies to the tournament's winners over the past eight years. Though she's currently undergoing cancer treatment, Wimbledon organizers are reportedly hopeful that she will be able to continue the tradition this year.
In addition to the British Royals, the website notes "overseas royal families are invited as well as heads of government, people from the world of tennis, commercial partners, British armed forces, prominent media organizations, supporters of British tennis and other walks of life."
The 2023 event saw Queen Camilla, Princess Beatrice, Prince Albert of Monaco, King Felipe of Spain and many more make their way to the seats for the anticipated event. This year, both David Beckham (accompanied by his mother, Sandra Beckham) and Sir David Attenborough were seen in the Royal Box for Wimbledon's kickoff day on July 1.
Meanwhile, Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece was spotted catching the action at Wimbledon's first day with his daughter, Princess Maria-Olympia, but the pair did not watch from the Royal Box. Instead, they were seen sitting with another father-daughter pair, Poppy Delevingne and Charles Delevingne.
Can anyone buy tickets for the Royal Box?
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Princess Kate and former Wimbledon champion Roger Federer in the Royal Box at Wimbledon 2023.The coveted tickets for the Royal Box are not available to the public. They are granted to guests ahead of the tournament's start.
"It’s up to the chairman of the All England Club to distribute invites for the two weeks of athletic competition, with suggestions submitted by members of the Championships’ Organising Committee, the Lawn Tennis Association and other sources," according to Wimbledon's website.
In 2023, Formula 1 driver George Russell shared a glimpse of the tickets for the Royal Box at Wimbledon when he attended the tenth day of the tennis tournament with his girlfriend, Carmen Montero Mundt.
Ahead of the event, Russell posted a photo of their passes to sit in the Royal Box on his Instagram Story. The cream-colored tickets featured an illustration of a woman serving on the iconic grass court, along with their names and the date the July 12 entry date securing their seats in the most exclusive space.
Related: Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle Have Both Broken This Rule in the Royal Box at Wimbledon
Is there a dress code for the Royal Box?
Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain with the winners trophy is applauded by King Felipe of Spain during the Wimbledon Championships in July 2023.When sitting alongside royals, dressing the part is a must! Therefore, guests invited to the Royal Box must abide by the "protocol" listed on Wimbledon's official website.
Guests in the Royal Box are asked to dress "smart" (even Prince George wore a suit and tie despite high temperatures for his Wimbledon debut in 2022!), but a practical summer accessory is discouraged — for a logical reason.
"Ladies are asked not to wear hats, as they tend to obscure the vision of those seated behind them," Wimbledon states. (In 2023, Kate and Meghan Markle broke the rule when they appeared at Wimbledon wearing hats to keep cool in the sun!)
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