Princess Kate has consistently brought out the most beautiful outfits for her courtside appearances at Wimbledon since she married Prince William back in 2011.
The Princess of Wales is set to make her first appearance at the prestigious tennis tournament this Wednesday, after missing the women’s singles finals last year, though she did attend the men’s event with her daughter, Princess Charlotte.
Some royal fans may have noticed that, no matter what she decides to wear for Wimbledon, she, without fail, always wears the exact same accessory.
The mother-of-three has been seen each year wearing a small bow, in a dark green and purple pattern, that she keeps pinned to her dress just below her shoulder. However, as lovely as it looks, it’s much more than a simple aesthetic choice.
Wimbledon: 5 surprising facts
© AFP via Getty Images1. A lot of tennis balls
Throughout the tournaments, Wimbledon goes through over 50,000 tennis balls! After the first seven games, the balls are replaced and refrigerated to maintain bounce.
2. Strawberries and cream
Tennis and strawberries are never apart throughout Wimbledon, and in fact, they only get the fruit from one supplier. Last year, Hugh Lowe Farm in Kent provided around 1.5 million strawberries over the two-week tournament.
3. Rufus the Hawk
Rufus, the hawk, has been the protector of the Wimbledon courts for the past ten years. He flies above the grounds in the early AM to chase away any pigeons to maintain a pristine court condition.
4. Prize money
The winners of the ladies’ and gentlemen’s singles championships will each receive £2.2 million. Additionally, the winners of every round will also receive money, ranging from £1500 for the winner of the first round of mixed doubles, up to £1.1 million for the runner-up in the final.
5. Longest match in history
In June 2010, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut battled for 11 hours and 5 minutes over three days, with the longest match in professional tennis history. The match totalled 183 games, and John eventually won 70-68.
The special meaning behind Princess Kate’s bow
The Princess of Wales’ accessory is a subtle gesture to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, the very venue where the Wimbledon championships are held every year, as the club’s colours have been green and purple since 1909.
© GettyAs the 43-year-old is the patron of the venue, which has been responsible for the day-to-day operations of the tournament since 2016, her nod to the organisers is a quiet but respectful one.
Princess Kate first wore the bow pin back in 2017, when she ditched her typical block colours to pair it with a gorgeous white floral dress from Catherine Walker.
Princess Kate’s sentimental accessory choice
The Princess of Wales frequently picks out a sentimental accessory for major occasions, including earlier this year, when she revived a very special hat for the Commonwealth Day service in March.
© Getty ImagesAlongside the most beautiful monochromatic outfit, she donned her red pillbox made by former milliner, Gina Foster, who was known for creating hats for royals, fashion shows, magazines and films for more than a decade before becoming an interior designer.
Princess Kate first wore that hat when she arrived in New Zealand for the Royal Tour back in April 2014, which was a particularly special outing, as it marked the first time that the then-eight-month-old Prince George had made a visit overseas.
© GettyIn May, she used her outfit to pay tribute to her late grandfather, who was a fighter pilot during the Second World War, through wearing a golden brooch that appeared to be the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm brooch with the Air Force wings.
