Kate Middleton Put Her Signature Spin on the Wimbledon Dress Code

The Gist

In support of her role as royal patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Kate Middleton attended Wimbledon on July 12, 2025.

During her appearance, she aced tennis whites while putting her signature style spin on the dress code.

Kate tapped one of her favorite designers, Self-Portrait, for the look.

Each year when Wimbledon rolls around, tennis fans crane their necks and watch their TV screens with undivided attention for a glance at the Royal Box, anxiously awaiting if Kate Middleton will be in attendance. Well-wishers were in for a treat in 2025, when the Princess of Wales graced Centre Court in support of her role as royal patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (a role she's held since 2016).

On July 12, 2025, Kate not only attended the London open, she aced the tournament's traditionally all-white dress code. The royal put her signature spin on the theme in an ivory-colored dress that featured a short sleeve belted bodice and pleated midiskirt by one of her favorite London-based designers, Self-Portrait.

Kate accessorized with nude suede pumps by Gianvito Rossi, Cartier earrings, and a gold Halcyon Days bangle, completing her look with a summertime staple: a woven tote.

This was a back-to-back appearance for Kate, who surprised fans with an appearance in 2024 after foregoing most engagements as she underwent cancer treatment. Then, she sat alongside her sister Pippa Middleton and daughter Princess Charlotte.

Kate has only skipped Wimbledon once since marrying into the royal family in 2011. In 2013, she was heavily pregnant with her eldest son Prince George, who was born on July 22 of that year.

Kate's emotional 2024 appearance—which prompted a standing ovation after publicly announcing her cancer diagnosis four months prior—gave her "sustenance," a palace source told People at the time. "She has gone through something awful and stressful, and it is critical to have little wins to look forward to or to give you the courage and energy to go forward. And this was it."

Kate's biographer Robert Jobson—who wrote the 2024 book Catherine, the Princess of Wales: A Biography of the Future Queen—said this appearance "showed a lot of courage and character, as she knew that the world was watching."

Kate is not only a fan of tennis in general, but respects the tradition of Wimbledon. The future queen said in a 2017 BBC documentary (via GB News), "I have watched Wimbledon—that was very much part of my growing up. It's such a quintessential part of the English summer, and I think it really inspires youngsters—myself, it inspired me when I was younger to get involved in the game."

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