ACE

King Charles Changes 106-Year Royal Dress Code Rule

The monarch wanted the dress code to feel less restrictive for athletes.

King Charles, 76, wants more color in Buckingham Palace. Gone are the days of required all-white attire on the palace tennis courts, The Times reports. Now, royals, staff, and guests of the palace are allowed to wear colors while playing tennis, making the dress code of the royal residence more relaxed than Wimbledon’s. According to The Times, the king wanted to relax the dress code to make players feel less “restricted.” The palace’s hard court was constructed in 1919, and is most often used by the palace staff, though members of the royal family will occasionally play. Prince William and Kate Middleton are known fans of the sport; the Princess of Wales, 43, is among Wimbledon’s most famous patrons and was responsible for handing out trophies in 2023. In 2022, Wimbledon also amended its dress code, declaring that women could wear “solid, mid/dark-colored undershorts” provided they were not visible below their shorts or skirt to allow players on their period more comfort.