The 2026 Wimbledon Championships officially began with a typical display of celebrity attendance in the Royal Box. Among the notable figures present on day one were Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, the oldest living blood relative of the British Royal Family, and football icon Sir David Beckham, who brought his mother, Sandra, to the event.
More than 9,000 spectators queued for tickets, with an expected 45,000 attendees at the All England Club on opening day, and half a million expected over the two-week tournament. However, tennis fans faced disappointment as Emma Raducanu withdrew from her scheduled match against Antonia Ruzic due to a leg injury, later revealed to be a stress fracture.
Notable Attendees and Their Connections
Prince Edward, 90, a cousin to the late Queen Elizabeth II, was a prominent figure in the Royal Box. He was joined by Deborah Jevans, Chair of The All England Lawn Tennis Club and a former junior Wimbledon champion. David and Sandra Beckham occupied front-row seats, with David Beckham attending after returning from a World Cup match in New Jersey.
Also present were television personality Tess Daly and singer Ronan Keating, alongside their respective partners or companions. Daly attended with her business partner Gayle Lawton, while Keating was with his wife, Storm.
Other high-profile guests included Great British Bake Off star Mary Berry, 91, accompanied by her daughter Annabel Bosher, who trained at the Cordon Bleu. BAFTA winner Robert Aramayo also attended with his mother, Lisa Dawson. Aramayo, who won Best Actor for a role that surprised his working-class family from Hull, was a notable presence.
Lady Susan Hussey, Prince William's godmother, was in the Royal Box. Her presence at the event marks a continued return to royal engagements following a controversy in 2022.
Sports and Media Figures
Sir Mark Rylance, an Academy Award winner, was seen with artist and photographer Lisa Barnard. Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins attended with her husband, Andrew Levitas. Weather presenter Carol Kirkwood made her first appearance in the Royal Box as a guest, having stepped down from her role as a commentator after a 28-year career with BBC Breakfast.
David Haggerty, President of the International Tennis Federation since 2015, was present with his wife Liz. Mark Precious, a former field hockey player who won an Olympic bronze medal in 1984, was also among the attendees.
Roy Colabawalla, Corporate Partner at Sydney Mitchell LLP and President of the Lawn Tennis Association, and Sally Munday, chief executive of UK Sport, were also seen in the VIP area.
Alexander Armstrong, known for the quiz show 'Pointless', attended with his wife Hannah. Celebrity chef Michael Caines, associated with Michelin-starred Lympstone Manor, was present with his long-term partner Pippa Whiteley.
Paul Barber OBE, Chief Executive and Deputy Chairman of Brighton & Hove Albion FC, attended with Adam Franks, a non-executive director at the club. Caroline Cooper-Marbiah, Labour councillor and Cabinet Member for Sport and Heritage, was also present.
Paul Sinton-Hewitt, founder of Parkrun, was in attendance shortly after the organization celebrated its millionth event. Matthew Stanton, CEO of Australian entertainment giant Nine, and Katharine Viner, Editor-in-chief of The Guardian, were also noted guests.
Other Notable Guests
Craig Wellstead and Xavier Wiggins, co-founders of the DONS Local Action group, a volunteer organization providing aid to those in need, were also present. Rupert Hampel, Executive Vice President of IMG Media, a global sports and culture company, attended with family members. Nick Turnbull, the Duke of Kent's private secretary, and his long-time personal assistant, Gill Pearson, were also in attendance.
Eric Babolat, owner and CEO of Babolat, the oldest racquet sports company, was present with his wife Anna. Former English tennis player Mark Cox, who represented Britain in the Davis Cup, attended with his wife Lorraine. Golf ace Rachel Gilman, last year's Lady Captain of the Royal Wimbledon club, also took her seat.