Compiled by Leandra Engelbrecht
Sir David Attenborough received a good reception when entering the Royal Box on day one of the Wimbledon 2024 Championship at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on 1 July 2024 in London, England. (Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)
- Sir David Attenborough received a standing ovation when he attended Wimbledon.
- The Royal Box hosts celebrities and royals, enforcing a strict dress code.
- Invitations to the Royal Box are highly exclusive and carefully regulated.
Sir David Attenborough received rousing applause and a standing ovation when he attended Wimbledon on Monday, 1 July.
The 98-year-old was seated in the Royal Box, where he watched the first match on Centre Court between Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Estonia’s Mark Lajal.
Wearing a blue suit with binoculars in hand, the broadcaster was visibly moved and slightly bowed to the cheering crowd.
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Also seated in the Royal Box were David Beckham and his mother Sandra, Welsh opera singer Katherine Jenkins and husband Andrew Levitas, singer Jamie Cullum, and actor Alexander Armstrong.
On Day 2, stars pictured in the box included Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and his wife Jordyn Blum, Sir Cliff Richard, Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon and his daughter model Tallulah, Former F1 driver Sir Jackie and his son Mark, and author Zadie Smith.
David Beckham attends day one of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on 1 July 2024 in London, England. (Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)
David Attenborough and David Beckham attend day one of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on 1 July 2024 in London, England. (Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)
Sir Cliff Richard and Sir Trevor McDonald attend day two of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on 2 July 2024 in London, England. (Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)
Dave Grohl and Jordyn Blum attend day two of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on 2 July 2024 in London, England. (Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)
Andrew Levitas and Katherine Jenkins attend day one of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on 1 July 2024 in London, England. (Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)
The Royal Box is the hottest ticket at Wimbledon, with appearances by British Royals, particularly The Princess of Wales, Catherine, who is the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
So, how do you score a ticket, and what are the rules?
According to the Wimbledon website, the Royal Box has been used to entertain Wimbledon’s friends and guests since 1922. The box has 74 seats, each crafted from a dark green Lloyd Loom wicker.
Invitations are extended to British and international royal families, government leaders, figures from the tennis community, commercial partners, members of the British armed forces, notable media organisations, supporters of British tennis, and people from various sectors of society.
The Chairman of the All England Club, considering recommendations from members of The Championships’ Organising Committee and The Lawn Tennis Association, extends invitations to guests. At the end of the day, guests are invited to lunch at the Clubhouse.
Strict dress code
Guests must adhere to a strict dress code when sitting in the Royal Box. The dress code is smart, suits or jacket and tie. Women are asked not to wear hats as they block the vision of those seated behind them.
In 2015, F1 racer Lewis Hamilton was denied entry to the final match between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer because he did not adhere to the dress code.
The Mirror reported that he wore a floral shirt and a hat.
A spokesperson for Hamilton told The Guardian then: “Due to an unfortunate misunderstanding regarding dress code at Wimbledon, Lewis is very disappointed to have missed the men’s final.”
On very hot days, Wimbledon hand out white short-brimmed hats featuring the tournament’s purple and green ribbon. However, in 2022, the Duchess of Cambridge wore a wide-brimmed sun hat at the Women’s Singles Final while seated in the Royal Box.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, attends the Men’s Doubles Final at the Wimbledon Women’s Singles Final at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on 09 July 2022 in London, England. (Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)
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