Wimbledon royal box entry rules and how to get sport's most lucrative invite

Wimbledon's royal box is known as the hottest ticket in town when it comes to watching tennis at SW19. Yet securing a seat is no easy feat.

The competition is now moving into its final stages and some of the world's most famous names will be eager to bag a place in Centre Court's iconic box. With the likes of Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz all in quarter-final action this week, the demand for tickets will be high to say the least.

However, in order to rub shoulders with a who's who of society, it's not just as simple as queuing up, or even requesting an invite to the box, regardless of your social standing.

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First introduced in 1922, the royal box hosts around 74 esteemed guests per day, and has an itinerary of strict rules for anyone wanting to enter.

In Wimbledon's most prestigious seating area, you'll find a delicately curated blend of royals, former champions, celebrities, military figures and diplomats. Over the years, the box has often stolen the limelight from those battling on the court below it, with the likes of David Beckham, Tom Cruise, and even some US presidents all spotted enjoying the comforts of the box.

This year alone has seen the box packed with a cavalcade of celebrities from all different walks of life. The likes of eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer, cricket icon Jimmy Anderson, Hollywood star Andrew Garfield and Glastonbury headliner and pop star Olivia Rodrigo have all taken their place to enjoy the tennis from the best seats in the house.

But just who makes the decision on who gets a seat? To most people's surprise, it's actually not up to Buckingham Palace, but rather the chair of the All England Club, Deborah Jevans.

Suggestions on who should attend are also taken from members of The Championships’ Organising Committee, The Lawn Tennis Association and other relevant sources, as per the Wimbledon website.

As well as an invite to the day's matches, guests are also offered lunch, tea and drinks at the prestigious Wimbledon club house. As par for Wimbledon, there are also a stern set of rules when it comes to the dress code.

Men must wear a jacket and tie, while women are expected to wear a formal dress. However, hats are considered somewhat of a faux pas with headgear often obstructing the view for those seated behind.

The All England Club isn't in the mood to compromise when it comes to fashion either, as some high-profile individuals have found to their cost in the not too distant past. Back in 2015, F1 icon Lewis Hamilton was famously denied entry to box and consequently missed the men's final between Djokovic and Federer, due to a dress code snafu.

A spokesperson for the Formula 1 superstar said at the time: "Due to an unfortunate misunderstanding regarding dress code at Wimbledon, Lewis is very disappointed to have missed the men's final."

Even those adjacent to royalty have felt the club's wrath. Pippa Middleton, younger sister of Catherine, Princess of Wales, was also denied entry when she turned up late in 2017, and was then forced to occupy two standard seats instead.

The rules around the box have been somewhat relaxed in recent times however. Until 2003, players were required to bow or curtsy to royal guests in the box, upon entering Centre Court.

The rule was reportedly dropped at the behest of Prince Edward, yet players are still expected to bow should King Charles III or Prince William be in attendance. The club doesn't suffer fools either.

Former world No. 1 Ilie Nastase was sensationally barred from entering in 2017 due to sexist comments he had made at the Fed Cup that year.