Wimbledon Royal Box: Cate Blanchett, Russell Crowe, Rebel Wilson on celebrity guest list
There aren’t many things money can’t buy, but a ticket to the Royal Box at Wimbledon is one of them. Find out who has made the cut this year and how they managed to snag a seat.
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An exclusive invitation to Wimbledon’s prestigious Royal Box is one of the most sought after “money can’t buy tickets in the UK” and only a handful of Australians have scored one of the best seats in the house.
Famous faces to make the cut on the distinguished guest list in the Grand Slam’s first week includes the likes of British football stars Sir David Beckham and Gary Lineker, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, singer Olivia Rodrigo, Hollywood couple Priyanka Chopra and partner Nick Jonas, adventurer Bear Grylls and actors Eddie Redmayne and Jason Isaacs.
Australians Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett and Rebel Wilson have all also nabbed exclusive invitations at the All England Club Lawn Tennis Club’s Royal Box which draws worldwide attention on who makes the cut each year.
On Friday (Saturday AEST) former Virgin Australia chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka, also Tennis Australia chair, together with the Herald and Weekly Times chairman Penny Fowler, were seated together in the Royal Box which has 74 attendees each day.
British brand and culture expert Nick Ede said what makes the Royal Box – which has been used to entertain at Wimbledon since 1922 – so exclusive is that “you can’t buy a ticket”.
“It’s an invitation that’s akin to being invited to Buckingham Place,” he said.
“You have to be invited to be a part of it.
“To be seen in that box is a huge accolade for you and you must go with that invitation, you can’t make any excuse, you can’t say the dog has eaten your ticket”.
Mr Ede said all eyes from around the world pay attention to who receives an invitation to sit in the tournament’s most coveted seats and it showcases the “great and good of the UK” globally.
“You’ll have everyone from the Beckhams through to infamously Meghan Markle who was there a few years ago,” he said.
“With the advent of social media and fashion magazines it’s literally become the window of exclusivity and if you’re in the Royal Box then you’re a superstar or a legend”.
But some secrecy surrounds exactly what luxuries guests are treated to including details of what’s on each day’s menu at Wimbledon’s Clubhouse.
Princess Catherine, who is a royal patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, has been a regular at Wimbledon for many years and it’s expected she will be in the Royal Box in the second week.
Invitations are sent from the All England Club chair Deborah Jevans and the committee of management – this happens after receiving suggestions on who should be considered for an invite.
These are made by “The Championships’ Organising Committee, the Lawn Tennis Association and other sources,” Wimbledon’s website states.
The seats – which are dark green Lloyd Loom wicker chairs – are located at the south end of Centre Court and guests are treated to lunch, tea and drinks at the end of play.
Wimbledon’s 2025 Compendium sets out the strict guidelines for the Royal Box and there’s no exceptions for A-listers.
“Dress is smart with lounge suit/blazer and tie for gentlemen and afternoon dress or elegant trouser suit for ladies,” the Compendium states.
But former Buckingham Palace spokesman Dickie Arbiter said while an invitation to the Royal Box is one many people would love to receive, he questioned some of the people who are spotted in the exclusive seats.
“When you look at some of the reprobates that get into the royal box you wonder how they got the invitation,” he said.
“Occasionally the camera sweeps the box and you see all sorts of people, personalities, but do they have an interest in tennis, I really don’t know.
“It’s always prestigious because it’s the best seats in the house and those who are in the box get a good lunch”.
But when it comes to whether it’s better to score an invite to the Royal Box at Wimbledon or the UK’s Royal Ascot races, Mr Arbiter said the two are vastly different.
“It’s an experience for anybody who can actually get a ticket to go to Wimbledon, whether you are in the Royal Box or not,” he said.
“Unlike Royal Ascot where people go to be seen, people go to Wimbledon to actually watch the tennis”.
Originally published as Wimbledon Royal Box: Cate Blanchett, Russell Crowe, Rebel Wilson on celebrity guest list
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