Yesterday’s Wimbledon visit by the Prince and Princess of Wales provoked criticism as onlookers noticed a contentious feature of their oldest son, Prince George’s, clothing.
The 12-year-old joined his parents and little sister, Princess Charlotte, in the Royal Box on Sunday (12 July) evening to witness Italy’s Jannik Sinner’s impressive three-set triumph over German player Alexander Zverev in the Men’s Singles Final.
But not every sports fan was thrilled to see the youngster sitting on Centre Court, especially given his outfit.
Given the extreme heat in London yesterday, some have criticised George’s outfit for being excessively constrictive. He wore a clean, pale blue shirt, a thick navy blazer, and a matching striped tie.
On the last day of the grand slam, temperatures reached a staggering 29C, but while Kate and Charlotte were able to use small sun hats to keep cool, George appeared uncomfortably hot in the direct sunlight.
“Imagine not letting your child wear a T-shirt in this weather,” one X user hit out after noticing. “Or at least a short-sleeved shirt with no jacket and tie.
“Seems ridiculous in this day and age.”
Another wrote: “Dressed him up like a ventriloquist’s doll.”
“Prince George looks hot in that full suit at Wimbledon,” a third continued. “I respect that the English are formal and keep tradition, but feel bad for the kid.
“Could they not have let him wear a polo shirt or something?”
A fourth also asked: “Why did the poor little fella have to wear a jacket and tie?”
Several spectators rushed to defend Kate and William, however, pointing out that George had simply been abiding by the strict rules that come with sitting inside the royal box.
Wimbledon’s official website states on this: “Protocol – dress is smart, suits/jacket and tie, etc. Ladies are asked not to wear hats, as they tend to obscure the vision of those seated behind them.”
Emphasising these regulations, one social media user wrote: “Get with the programme. It’s Wimbledon. It’s the men’s final. It’s the royal box. There is a strict dress code.”
Another added: “Imagine raising the future King of England to respect the rules of the royal box at Wimbledon and to understand his future role.”
A third continued: “There is a dress code in the Royal Box at Wimbledon! And he’s the future king!!!”
The Royal Box’s strict dress code is not the only strict rule in the 149-year-old tournament…
Wimbledon’s strangest rules
From the length of the grass to the temperature of the tennis balls, Wimbledon has stringent rules and regulations. Violations of these restrictions can result in fines of thousands of pounds.
Curfew
While at other grand slams, play continues late into the night, at Wimbledon there’s a strict 11 pm curfew.
This means tennis buffs sometimes have to go to bed on a cliffhanger.
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal’s 2018 semi-final clash was suspended after the third set. Meanwhile, Andy Murray was especially annoyed when he was in the lead against Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2023, but went on to lose when the game was paused overnight and restarted the following morning.
Timed toilet breaks
Players are limited to one toilet break for matches up to three sets, and two if it goes on for longer.
They may only leave during a set change, and they must return within three minutes or risk gifting their opponent a point.
The longest ever Wimbledon match lasted a whopping 11 hours over three days, so players better get their nervous wees in before the match.
Temper tantrums
Players can be fined up to £36,900 for smashing their rackets. Djokovic is believed to have smashed over 60 of them over the course of his career.
The same maximum penalties may also be imposed for using foul language.
Countdown to serve
As soon as the ball goes out of play, the serving player has just 25 seconds to hit their serve, or the umpire can call a violation which could potentially grant a point to their opponent.
Fines for not trying hard enough
Players must prove they’re giving their all to win the match. Australian player Bernard Tomic was fined an eye-watering £45,000 after he was accused of not putting in enough effort to beat French player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, losing after just 58 minutes.
Age limits
Players have to be at least 14 to compete, which means youth sensations like Coco Gauff were originally banned from taking part.
Spectators, meanwhile, have to be accompanied by a guardian if they’re under 16. Under-fives aren’t permitted at all onto show courts.
This meant Serena Williams’ two-year-old daughter Adira River couldn’t watch her mum’s comeback at this year’s grand slam, while not all of Andy Murray’s four children could watch his final doubles appearance in 2024.
The grass and the balls
Everything at Wimbledon is just so. The grass is cut to 8mm, which is apparently best suited for modern tennis play and for the grass to survive.
Meanwhile, the tennis balls are kept in a fridge to maintain a constant temperature of 20°C. A consistent temperature is important because it apparently affects the way the balls bounce.
Tennis whites
It was originally just female players who were required to wear all-white on the court. According to Tennis Fashions: Over 125 Years of Costume Change, the rule was introduced because it was ‘quite unthinkable that a lady should be seen to perspire’.
Eventually, males were also subject to the regulation.
A single trim of colour is allowed around the neckline and sleeve cuffs, but this must be no thicker than 1cm.
In 2022, an exception was made so women could wear dark undershorts to feel more comfortable if they were on their period.
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 