Kate Middleton & Meghan Markle Broke Wimbledon Rule: Wearing Hats

Let’s be real for a moment: there are a lot of royal protocols members of the House of Windsor have to follow. From their attire, to their curtsies and bows — it’s a lot to keep track of. And, sure, a royal is bound to slip up every once in a while. As it would happen, both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are guilty of one small infraction they’ve made in the Royal Box at Wimbledon, and it was so slight an error that you may have missed it.

In case you forgot or didn’t know, the Royal Box is a super exclusive spot for watching matches on centre court at The Championships. Seats are reserved for special guests and, of course, royalty. In the past, members of the royal family have watched the finals for both the gentlemen and the ladies participating in the tournament. Naturally, there’s a strict dress code patrons are meant to follow.

Catherine, Princess of Wales (then Duchess of Cambridge) in the royal box during the Men’s Doubles Final at The Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship at the All England Lawn and Tennis Club at Wimbledon on July 9, 2022 in London (Photo by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images)

According to the Wimbledon website‘s official section on the Royal Box, spectators are asked to dress “smart” — i.e. “suits/jacket and tie” for men. But there’s one accessory women are discouraged from wearing. “Ladies are asked not to wear hats, as they tend to obscure the vision of those seated behind them.” Honestly? That’s fair.

But in the past, both Meghan and Kate have brought along their own chapeaus. Last year, the Princess of Wales (then Duchess of Cambridge) sported a straw hat while watching the Men’s Doubles Final. Now, Kate didn’t wear the hat for very long, and often opted to sport her sunglasses. And, to be fair, her hat wasn’t such that it would likely obstruct the view that much.

Catherine, Princess of Wales (then Duchess of Cambridge) and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend day twelve of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14, 2018 in London (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)

A few years earlier at the Ladies’ Single Final, Meghan brought along her accessory of choice: a cream-colored hat with a dark band. Now, we didn’t see the Duchess of Sussex wearing the hat, but she could’ve popped it on for just a few moments here and there. As it would happen, she did wear the hat in 2019 while watching her pal Serena Williams, but she wasn’t seated in the Royal Box. All told, this very small error from both Kate and Meghan shows that even royals can break the rules every once in a while — even if they’re sitting in the Royal Box at Wimbledon.

Before you go, click here to see Meghan Markle’s best post-royal fashion moments below!