Photos of the Royal Family at Wimbledon Through the Years

wimbledon - elizabeth, kate — (Image credit: Getty Images)

The British Royal Family has a longstanding relationship with the Wimbledon tennis tournament, dating back over a century. They've been patrons; presidents; frequent attendees in the so-called Royal Box; and even (in the case of King George V) a player at the 1926 tournament. From the early 20th century onward, we have semi-candid photos of the royal family watching the players, interacting with friends and family, and sometimes handing out awards. It's a fascinating look at their "off-duty" life (and indicates which of them are fans of the sport). Below, photos of the Royals at Wimbledon over the years.

King George

The then-Duke of Windsor, future King George, was apparently an ace tennis player. Here, he was playing in a doubles match at Wimbledon with his partner Wing Commander Louis Greig, per the original caption. That makes him the only British Royal to have competed in the event.

King George and Queen Mary

Blast from the past! Here, King George and Queen Mary opened Wimbledon's Jubilee Tennis Championships in 1926 (where King George competed and lost in the first round). "French player Suzanne Lenglen shakes the hand of royal consort Queen Mary," per the caption.

Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth, who was not as avid a tennis fan as her father, nevertheless took on related duties as sovereign. In this historic 1957 photo, she handed the trophy for Women's Singles to the champion, Althea Gibson—the first Black person to ever win the title.

Princess Margaret

The gregarious Princess Margaret, while not necessarily an avid tennis fan, partook in royal duties around Wimbledon. Here, she stood on "centre court" (as it's known) at the 1970 Wimbledon tournament to present John Newcombe with the Men's Singles trophy.

Margaret, Mary, and George

While the Royal Box wasn't always as chic and exclusive as it looks now, it has seen a great many historical figures watching the matches. From left, Princess Margaret, Lord Templewood, Queen Elizabeth, Sir Louis Greig, and King George V watch the Men's Singles Final in 1947.

Elizabeth

Per the original caption, "Rod Laver of Australia is presented with the Gentlemen's Singles Trophy by Queen Elizabeth after defeating compatriot Martin Mulligan in the Men's Singles Final match at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on July 6, 1962."

Prince Philip

Prince Philip was more a polo player than he was a tennis player, apparently, but he still was seen at Wimbledon as a part of royal duties. Here he and the Duchess of Kent presented Neale Fraser of Australia with the Men's Singles trophy following his victory over Rod Laver in 1960.

Then-Prince Charles

The then-Prince Charles watched a 1970 Wimbledon match between Dennis Ralston and John Newcombe. Did you know that there's a tennis court at Buckingham Palace, constructed in 1919 under King George? Apparently charity matches can be hosted there as well.

Princess Anne

Princess Anne has been a longstanding fan of equestrian sports but did also appear at tennis events when she was a youth and young adult. Here, in 1967, she sat in the royal box watching the Men's Singles Final between John Newcombe and Wilhelm Bungert.

Princess Diana and Princess Grace of Monaco

It isn't just the British Royals that attend Wimbledon! Princess Grace of Monaco and Lady Diana Spencer were photographed as they watched the Men's Singles Final between John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg in 1981—just a few weeks before Diana got married to Charles.

Anne

In 1969, English tennis player Ann Jones won the Women's Singles Final and received her trophy from Princess Anne at the Wimbledon Championships. When an English person wins a Final at Wimbledon, it can engender a particular sense of national pride in the country.

Elizabeth

Per the original caption, "Queen Elizabeth ahead of the second round match between Andy Murray of Great Britain against Jarkko Nieminen of Finland on day four of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships." This was in 2010, and to her right was Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, the president of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

Diana and Sarah Ferguson

Diana and Sarah Ferguson were among the spectators at Wimbledon in 1988. As a new generation of Royals began developing their own interests and patronages, we would see more active attendance from them in the coming years. It was a place to see and be seen!

Diana

The late Princess Diana was the original Wimbledon "it girl." Beyond the intense attention she already got as the wife to then-Prince Charles, she wore particularly chic outfits when she attended. This was the 1993 Men's Singles Tennis Final, where Pete Sampras won.

Kate Middleton

Wimbledon could also be a place for young royals and royals-to-be. In 2006, Kate Middleton attended the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour's pre-Wimbledon party. She and William had been dating for four years at this point, and attention on her was heightened as a result.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia

Proof that Wimbledon can see kings and queens other than the British Royal Family! In 2008, Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal celebrated his Men's Singles win against Swiss player Roger Federer with Crown Prince Felipe of Spain and Princess Letizia of Spain.

Kate and Prince William

As the young royals continued to mature, Wimbledon became a place to watch them in more casual settings. Just a few months after they got married, William and Kate attended the fourth round Wimbledon match between Andy Murray and Richard Gasquet in 2011.

Kate and William

Per the original caption, William and Kate "attend day nine of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at Wimbledon on July 8, 2015." This would have been a couple months after Princess Charlotte was born and a return to public life for the royal couple.

Kate

Kate would become the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), the organization that hosts Wimbledon. As such, she has taken on other responsibilities around the tournament and has been more visible. Here, she attended the 2023 tournament and watched the Women's Single Finals.

Sophie Rhys-Jones

Proof that Wimbledon has still been popular among members of the Royal Family, Sophie Rhys-Jones, wife to Prince Edward, "watches tennis from the Royal Box during the eighth day of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club."

Kate and Meghan Markle

These photos, snapped at Wimbledon in 2018 (just a few months after Meghan Markle wed Prince Harry), were some of the most widely viewed photos from the tournament to date. The two young Royals sat side by side and chatted as they attended day twelve.

Poppy Delevingne and Princess Maria-Olympia

If you're unfamiliar. Poppy Delevingne is a British socialite (and sister to Cara), while Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece and Denmark is a member of the former Greek royal family; they've been seen attending social events together. Here, they attended the 2024 Wimbledon tournament.

Queen Camilla

Per the caption, "Queen Camilla takes part in a wave to cheer on US player Taylor Fritz and Italy's Lorenzo Musetti during their Men's Singles Quarter-Finals tennis match on the tenth day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships." Charles reportedly doesn't care for the sport, but Camilla has attended several Wimbledon Finals.

Kate, Meghan, and Pippa

Kate, Meghan, and Pippa Middleton (Kate's sister) chatted and smiled while attending Wimbledon in July 2019. An interesting note: roughly six months later, Meghan and Harry would formally announce that they were "stepping back" as senior royals in January 2020.

Prince George

Wimbledon can be the source of some delightful faces: in this case, Prince George scrunched up his nose while his mother leaned to talk to him during the 2022 Wimbledon Men's Singles Final match between Serbia's Novak Djokovic and Australia's Nick Kyrgios.

Zara and Mike Tindall

Here, Zara Tindall (Princess Anne's daughter) and husband Mike Tindall attended day ten of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in 2024. The couple (both athletic themselves) have attended the tournament often, showing off their extremely posh style.

William and George

Prince George, looking much like his father (who'd bent over to tell him something), watched Carlos Alcaraz play against Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon 2023 men's final. George has an interest in the sport, and his mother has explained that he's even taken lessons.

Kate and Charlotte

Kate Middleton and her daughter, Princess Charlotte, have appeared in the Royal Box at Wimbledon on more than one occasion. Here, the pair matched in sunglasses while they also watched Carlos Alcaraz vs. Novak Djokovic in the 2023 Men's Final alongside William and George.

Princess Beatrice

Both Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice are regular attendees at Wimbledon, with Beatrice showing particularly enthusiastic reactions at matches. Here, she was spotted taking her seat prior to the 2025 Wimbledon match between Fabio Fognini of Italy and Carlos Alcaraz of Spain.

Kate and Charlotte

While attending Wimbledon in 2024, Kate waved to the crowd, while Charlotte looked up and smiled at her mother. This was only Kate's second public appearance following her treatment for cancer, and the crowd reacted with deep support. (You can also see Tom Cruise in the top right of this photo!)

Camilla

Wearing a dress adorned with wild animals, "Queen Camilla waves as she arrives in the royal box on day ten of Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 09, 2025." Even though Camilla has had a busy schedule since 2022, she's still made time for her interests.

Charlotte and George

"Princess Charlotte of Wales and Prince George of Wales celebrate during Carlos Alcaraz vs. Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon 2023 men's final on Centre Court." Both of Kate and William's older children have made for enthusiastic, and adorable, tennis fans at Wimbledon.

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

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