Who Gets to Sit in the Wimbledon Royal Box? Here’s How to Score an Invite to the Exclusive Seats

NEED TO KNOW

Wimbledon, one of the four Grand Slam tournaments, kicked off in London on June 29

The Royal Box is a 74-seat suite inside Centre Court at Wimbledon where the British royal family watches the games

Invitations to the Royal Box are very exclusive and there is a strict set of rules that guests who sit there must follow

Attending Wimbledon has become a tradition for the British royal family.

The 2025 tournament kicked off in London on June 29, and fans have already spotted Kate Middleton — who serves as the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club — in the Royal Box, the 74-seat suite inside Centre Court.

Despite its name, 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 tournament’s iconic rules and regulations, spectators sitting in the Royal Box must abide by a slew of guidelines, too. There aren’t 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.

Here’s everything to know about the Royal Box at Wimbledon.

What is the Royal Box at Wimbledon?

Prince William, Princess Kate and Prince George in the Royal Box on Centre Court Wimbledon in July 2022.
Credit: Javier Garcia/Shutterstock

The Royal Box is a reserved suite of seats at Wimbledon, located inside Centre Court at the tennis tournament 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 comprises 74 dark green Lloyd Loom wicker chairs overlooking 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?

David Beckham and Sandra Beckham in Center Court’s Royal Box at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships.
Credit: John Walton/PA Images via Getty

Those who are invited to sit in one of the 74 seats include royal families, tennis supporters, politicians and more.

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 nine years.

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 made their way to the seats for the anticipated event. In 2024, both David Beckham (accompanied by his mother, Sandra Beckham) and Sir David Attenborough were seen in the Royal Box for Wimbledon’s kickoff day.

Can anyone buy tickets for the Royal Box?

Princess Kate and former Wimbledon champion Roger Federer in the Royal Box at Wimbledon 2023.
Credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

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 Stories. The cream-colored tickets featured an illustration of a woman serving on the iconic grass court, along with their names and the date.

Is there a dress code for the Royal Box?

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain with the winners trophy is applauded by King Felipe of Spain during the Wimbledon Championships in July 2023.
Credit: Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty

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, which means dressing “smart.”

Exceptions can’t be made even for the royals themselves — even Prince George wore a suit and tie despite a hot day when he attended his first Wimbledon tournament in 2022.

A practical summer accessory is also discouraged, but 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 the past, both Kate and Meghan Markle have broken the rule when they appeared at Wimbledon wearing hats to keep cool in the sun.)

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