During that visit, George Hillyard, the secretary of the Wimbledon Club and a childhood friend of the prince, asked him to become president of the All England Club and present the trophies. When the prince became King George V in 1910, he also became the club’s patron, establishing a tradition followed by later monarchs.
One royal even competed at Wimbledon. Prince Albert, Duke of York, who later became King George VI, entered the 1926 championship but lost in the opening round and never participated again.
More recently, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, served as president of the All England Club from 1969 until he in 2021. His tenure lasted more than five decades.
The Royal Box has been another lasting part of that relationship since 1922. With room for 80 guests, it has welcomed members of the British royal family, international royals, political leaders, members of the armed forces, and other notable attendees.
The late was among the royals photographed there over the years. As reported, Wimbledon has long offered some of the family’s most relaxed public moments, even though the seating area remains governed by detailed traditions.
