Princess Diana Was the Original Wimbledon It Girl

The Wimbledon tennis championships have always been a prime time for royal watching, and in the 1980s, Princess Diana was a regular fixture at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Today, fans eagerly await to see what Princess Kate wears in the royal box each year, but back then, it was Diana who stole the fashion spotlight.

Whether she was attending matches with Sarah Ferguson, Prince William, or her mother, Frances Shand Kydd, the late royal showed off her signature style in tennis whites, structured suits and statement sunglasses. Diana also attended matches in the royal box ahead of her 1981 wedding to Prince Charles, cementing her status as a Wimbledon style influencer before she was an official princess.

Ahead, see some of Diana's best Wimbledon moments through the years.

1981

Just weeks before she married Prince Charles, Lady Diana Spencer joined her sister, Sarah, and the Duchess of Kent at the 1981 Wimbledon championships. The future Princess of Wales went with a very tenniscore look for the occasion, wearing a pleated white skirt with a frilly white blouse, adding a pop of color with a quilted pink blazer.

1987

Butter yellow might have swept the spring/summer trend lists in 2025, but in the '80s, Diana was the OG fan of the sunny color. Case in point: She was seen cheering at a women's match in 1987 while wearing an oversized yellow blazer and crisp blue button-up.

1987

What could be more Diana than a pie crust collar? The princess paired a bright pink floral dress with oversized, quintessentially '80s white sunglasses as she took in the action at a men's match during the 1987 championships.

1991

Like Princess Kate did years later, Diana went for Wimbledon purple at the 1991 women's final, wearing a belted violet blazer over a pleated white skirt. A 9-year-old Prince William joined his mom for his first Wimbledon match that day, with the little prince dressed up in a navy blazer and tie for the occasion.

1993

Diana brought her mom for a fun day out at Wimbledon in 1993, inviting Frances Shand Kydd into the royal box for the men's final. Along with a pair of tortoise shell sunglasses, a thick gold chain and pearl button earrings, the princess wore a silky peach blouse under a matching blazer, which she took off during the sunny match.

1994

After her 1992 separation from Prince Charles, Diana went for a bolder take on Wimbledon fashion. She was a lady in red in 1994, wearing a sleek shirt dress with gold buttons and chunky gold earrings to the Wimbledon men's final.

1995

It was butter yellow for the win again when Diana wore a tailored skirt suit to the Wimbledon men's final in 1995. She paired her summery suit with a bold pearl choker and her favorite pearl button earrings, along with a very mid-'90s pair of round sunglasses.