Wimbledon is known as the oldest (and arguably, the most prestigious) tennis tournament in the world, but it’s also a great place to spot the royal family. One of Kate Middleton’s royal patronages is the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, where the Grand Slam event occurs every year, and we can tell it’s one of her favorite places to be in June and July. Whether she’s touring the grounds or rooting for an athlete, she always gives us fabulous moments that make us know she’s so happy to be there.
Prince William is often seen with her in the Royal Box (even though we know he loves his Aston Villa soccer team) and enjoying the festivities. There’s also photographic evidence of a baby Wills at his first tournament in 1991 with his late mother, Princess Diana — there’s so much history with the royal family and the game of tennis, they’ve been attending Wimbledon since 1907.
And we have to talk about the Princess of Wales and her fashion moments — she saves some of her best silhouettes for the Royal Box each year. Sometimes it’s a color telling the story, but other times, it’s about a small detail that she knows we are going to notice (and we love that about her). We’ve collected some of our favorite photos of Kate and William (and a few recognizable friends) at Wimbledon over the years.
See the best photos below:
A version of this article was originally published in July 2021.
Kate’s Back (2024)
Catherine Princess of Wales made her long-awaited return to Wimbledon on July 14, 2024.
& Princess Charlotte Is Back Too! (2024)
Joining Kate for her return to Wimbledon was her devoted daughter Princess Charlotte.
Princess Charlotte’s First Wimbledon (2023)
For the final day of Wimbledon, Kate and William brought their two elder children Prince George and Princess Charlotte to join in on the beloved royal fun!
Prince George’s First Wimbledon (2022)
For the men’s final on July 10, 2022, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s eldest child, son Prince George, attended! The 8-year-old dressed in a little suit and sat in between his mom and dad to watch the match.
A Standing Ovation (2022)
On July 5, 2022, Kate Middleton and Prince William offered Britain’s Cam Norrie a standing ovation after the tennis player clinched a hard-fought win over David Goffin in the Wimbledon men’s quarter-finals. For her respective appearance, Kate fashioned a dress she previously wore during the Platinum Jubilee.
Whispering During the Match (2021)
While watching the Ladies’ Doubles Final between Elise Mertens and Hsieh Su-wei and Elena Vesnina and Veronika Kudermetova on centre court, William and Kate whispered to one another. Could they have been offering their own commentary on the match? We’ll never know!
Learning the History (2021)
The Duchess takes this patronage very seriously. This year, a visit to the Wimbledon Museum was a priority to learn about the rich history of the prestigious tournament.
Touring the Grounds (2021)
Kate also took the time to tour the grounds before catching a match after the pandemic canceled the 2020 festivities.
A Major Fashion Moment (2019)
From Kate’s side eye to the slight press of the arm, she knows she looks incredible in this custom Emilia Wickstead baby blue dress, via Harper’s Bazaar. What tops the look is the color-coordinated effort by her husband. Nice work, William!
What an Honor (2019)
Prince William and Kate Middleton took the time to greet the ballboys and ballgirls, who work so hard during the tournament.
Waving to the Fans (2019)
Everyone is always thrilled to spot the royals at Wimbledon and the Duke and Duchess offer up a friendly wave.
Encouraging the Next Generation (2019)
Junior tennis players from all over the world got a private audience with the Duchess. That’s what we call a successful Wimbledon, whether you win or lose your match.
Iconic Trio (2019)
Kate extended the Wimbledon invitation again to the Duchess of Sussex in 2019, and Pippa also came along for the ride.
Bringing the Sunshine (2018)
Can we just applaud this color story? The silhouette is flattering, yet simple, but we know Kate has arrived with this stunning yellow shade. (And yes, we see you too, William!)
Dynamic Duo (2018)
This was a really big moment for the royal family with two bonding sister-in-laws just after Meghan Markle had married Prince Harry.
Giggling During the Men’s Final (2017)
Kate and William had a bit of a laugh while watching the Men’s Final at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on the last day of Wimbledon.
Greeting the Athletes (2016)
Everyone is always happy to see the Duchess of Cambridge because she draws huge attention to the sport. Can former tennis player Greg Rusedski’s smile get any bigger?
So Happy Together (2016)
The couple always looks so relaxed while attending Wimbledon — it’s a side we don’t always get to see at their other patronages.
Getting Into the Action (2015)
The Duchess never disappoints when it comes to expressive emotions during a tense match. Even William is plotting what is happening out there on the court.
Wearing Smiles (2015)
It’s fun seeing them able to kick back a bit in the Royal Box. (And see how many times you can spot tennis legend Billie Jean King behind them.)
Taking It All In (2014)
One of our favorite Kate fashion moments is this Jonathan Saunders ‘Evelyn’ dress, per What Kate Wore. It has such a cool mid-century modern feel to it.
Somewhere in the Crowd (2012)
The Royal Box has 74 seats in total, so that’s why a few famous faces often join the royal family. If you look to Kate and William’s right, you will spot seven-time Wimbledon winner Steffi Graf with husband Andre Agassi, who also won the tournament once.
Sweet Siblings (2012)
You never know who is going to pop up in the Royal Box, Kate likes to keep us guessing. She and sister Pippa Middleton had a fun ladies’ afternoon watching tennis in 2012.
Enjoying the Royal Box (2012)
A little over a year into their marriage, you can see how carefree they are. This was their last year as a family of two — Prince George arrived in July 2013.
Newlyweds (2011)
Just months after their fairy-tale wedding, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge looked giddy in love as they (sort of) watched the match, or more likely, watched each other.
Single Days (2007)
Kate Middleton joined a friend in 2007 at Wimbledon during a time she and Prince William were on a break. Their split would only last a few months before they resumed their relationship.
An Appreciation for the Sport (1994)
Prince William returned many times over the years with his mother, who also enjoyed supporting the tennis players each year. (And look at that beautiful shot of her ring.) We can’t wait for the tradition to continue with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
First Trip to Wimbledon (1991)
Princess Diana taking a nine-year-old Prince William to his first Wimbledon tournament in 1991 is such a bittersweet image. But we love Diana giving us such sophisticated vibes.
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