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TL; DR: 

  • Kate Middleton went to Wimbledon on July 9, 2022. 
  • She watched from the royal box, wearing a bright yellow dress and floppy straw hat. 
  • Per the Wimbledon dress code, those sitting in the royal box are asked not to wear hats. 

Kate Middleton bucked the rules at Wimbledon when she wore a hat in the royal box. Ahead, get details on the Duchess of Cambridge’s Wimbledon outfit. Plus, find out why hats are a no-no in the royal box. 

Kate Middleton went to Wimbledon on July 9

As patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Kate is a familiar face at Wimbledon. She, like many other royals, attends the annual tennis tournament and 2022 was no different. During the tournament, which ran from June 27-July 10, Kate made multiple courtside appearances. 

However, the Wimbledon appearance that had the 40-year-old breaking the rules happened on July 9, 2022. Kate sat in the stands, the royal box at center court to be exact. She also presented Elena Rybakina with the Wimbledon trophy after she defeated Ons Jabeur in the Ladies’ Singles final.

Kate Middleton’s Wimbledon outfit: Her straw hat violated the dress code

Normally, wearing a hat to an outdoor event in the heat of the summer wouldn’t be noteworthy. However, in Kate’s case, her sartorial choice to wear a straw hat to Wimbledon is memorable because it went against the dress code. 

According to Marie Claire U.K., Kate’s Wimbledon hat came from L.K. Bennett, one of her favorite fashion brands. They identified it as the brand’s $70 Saffron Straw Floppy Sun Hat. 

Kate wore the now-sold-out hat with a yellow sundress by designer Roksanda Ilinčić which she previously wore on a royal Caribbean tour. She finished off the look with oversized sunglasses and a purple and green pin worn by female members of Wimbledon. 

So why did Kate’s Wimbledon hat go against the dress code? According to the Wimbledon website, those sitting in any one of the royal box’s 74 seats are asked “not to wear hats, as they tend to obscure the vision of those seated behind them.”

So Kate’s hat was a Wimbledon no-no. However, as evidenced in photos and videos from Kate’s appearance at the tournament, she wasn’t wearing the hat the entire time. Rather, she hat it only for a brief period of time, likely in an effort to stay cool.

Meghan Markle had a Wimbledon hat moment

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Kate Middleton Apparently Sent a Subtle but Strong Message by Taking Her Coat off Indoors

Kate’s not the only British royal to have a hat moment at Wimbledon. In July 2018, her sister-in-law Meghan Markle had her first Wimbledon experience as an official British royal. 

The newly-minted Duchess of Sussex went to Wimbledon with Kate. Meghan, who now resides in California with Prince Harry, wore white pants and a blue-and-white striped shirt. 

In her hands, she could be seen holding a hat. Although she didn’t put it on. The reason? Likely the club’s request about not wearing hats in the royal box. 

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