Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle Have Ignored This Royal Rule at Wimbledon on Numerous Occasions

It's that time of year again — celebrities and royals alike are all congregating at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club for the famous Wimbledon tennis championship. The prestigious tournament is a breeding ground for moments of celeb PDA, preppy fashion statements, and royal sightings.

Of course, Kate Middleton has already made an appearance at this year's big event (in a double-breasted mint blazer and white pleated skirt, nonetheless) and sat in the famous Royal Box at Centre Court (which is invite-only). Like all royal appearances, there are some protocols that are supposed to be followed by members of the family. But there's one specific rule that both Meghan Markle and Middleton have broken in the past.

According to People, the dress code for sitting in the green Lloyd Loom chairs is "smart" and hats are discouraged. "Ladies are asked not to wear hats, as they tend to obscure the vision of those seated behind them," Wimbledon shared.

But since Wimbledon takes place during hot sunny summer afternoons, a hat to shield the rays doesn't sound so far-fetched. In fact, Markle and Middleton have both bent the rules on separate occasions. In 2018, Markle held onto a white hat with a blue ribbon placed around the base to match her blue-and-white striped button-up shirt and ivory linen pants. The hat made a return at the 2019 tournament.

This same hat also made an appearance back in 2016, when Meghan traveled to the U.K. to support her pal Serena Williams at Wimbledon. We now know that visit also marked one of her first dates with Prince Harry (the couple recounted the special day during their Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan).

In 2022, Middleton wore a bright yellow pleated midi dress which she paired with a very seasonally appropriate wide-brimmed straw hat accented with a black ribbon.

Although the accessory is typically discouraged, on extremely hot days, hats are actually passed out to the guests in the box, People reports.

"The Royal Box has been used for the entertainment of friends and guests of Wimbledon since 1922," explained in a statement shared with the outlet. "British and overseas Royal Families are invited as well as heads of government, people from the world of tennis, commercial partners, British armed forces, prominent media organisations, supporters of British tennis and other walks of life."

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