Kate Middleton Receives Bows from Wimbledon Finalists — All About the Evolving Tradition

Wimbledon players stopped bowing or curtsying to members of the royal family in 2003, but there are exceptions to the updated protocol

Kate Middleton was greeted in a regal way when presenting the trophies at Wimbledon this weekend.

The Princess of Wales, 42, presented prizes following the men's singles final between Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14. Both players paused and bowed in her direction before accepting their awards.

As seen in a video shared by ESPN, Djokovic stopped for a moment to drop his head while walking towards Princess Kate to accept the runner-up trophy. Alcaraz did the same before receiving the golden Gentlemen's Singles Challenge Cup following the final, where he defeated Djokovic 6-2 6-2 7-6(4).

While the Princess of Wales is a senior working royal and patron of the All England Club, the role in which she awards trophies at the Wimbledon Championships, it's not required for athletes to bow or curtsy to her during the prize ceremonies — or during the tournament at all. The moves are made as a gesture of respect and at the competitor's personal discretion.

Related: Why Prince Louis Didn't Join Kate Middleton or Prince William at Sporting Events Like His Siblings

The tradition of having Wimbledon players bow or curtsy if royal family members were in the Royal Box was discontinued in 2003, following the wishes of the tennis club's then-president the Duke of Kent. The rule was updated to apply only if Queen Elizabeth and then-Prince Charles, the monarch and her successor, attended.

Although Queen Elizabeth wasn't a yearly regular at Wimbledon, Andy Murray and Jarkko Nieminen bowed to the history-making monarch when she attended the 2010 tournament. Murray called his bows "a bit awkward," The New York Times reported.

Meanwhile, Martina Navratilova said she liked the tradition of turning to the Royal Box and curtsying. "When I got the hang of it, I came to quite enjoy it,” she said, according to The New York Times. “I liked that part. The players walking on the court, curtsying in unison. That was a part of the great tradition here."

Related: The Most Surprising Wimbledon Rules You Didn't Know Players and Spectators Must Follow

The royal-related protocol at Wimbledon has not been strict during King Charles' reign. When heir to the throne Prince William went to Wimbledon in July 2023, Alcaraz and Novak did not bow towards him when they hit the court for the men's singles final. Queen Camilla also didn't receive bows or curtsies during her outings to watch the tennis action on Centre Court in the past two years.

Etiquette around the royal family has been largely relaxed in recent years.

"There are no obligatory codes of behavior when meeting the Queen or a member of the royal family, but many people wish to observe the traditional forms," states the royal family's website, which has yet to be updated in full following the death of Queen Elizabeth in September 2022. "For men, this is a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy. Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way."

Tennis legend Djokovic usually bowed to the royal presenting him with prizes at Wimbledon in recent years, and he spoke about what it meant to have Princess Kate at the event as she continues treatment for cancer. The Princess of Wales' outing at Wimbledon on the fourteenth and final day of play marked just her second public event this year after she announced the news about her health in March.

"Yes, it was of course a privilege to be in her presence again. I've said to her that it is very nice to see her in good health. She seems to be in good health, so that's obviously very positive news for everyone in this country but also for Wimbledon, for [the] championships, to have Her Royal Highness here, of course with her family members," Djokovic, 37, said in a press conference after the match.

"It's amazing. It's incredible support they've been giving over the years to this tournament," he continued. "I know that she and her sister have played tennis for a very long time. So they truly respect, admire the game. They also understand tennis, which is great. It's wonderful to have that kind of support from the royal family."

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Kensington Palace announced Princess Kate's plans to attend the men's singles final at Wimbledon the day prior. She was greeted with a standing ovation when she entered with her daughter, Princess Charlotte, and sister, Pippa Middleton.

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