The Royal Box at Wimbledon had a distinctly sporty feel to it today, as some of the world’s top golfers – led by Rory McIlroy – descended on SW19 today.
Reserved for VIP tennis fans across sport, show business and high society, the best seats in the house welcomed the Northern Irishman, who made a grand entrance alongside his wife Erica Stoll, after a historic Masters win two months ago.
He was joined by the likes of English professional golfers Luke Donald, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood.
Bringing further star power was Game of Thrones actor Charles Dance and Richard E. Grant, who was joined by his daughter Olivia for her first post-baby outing.
The actor, 69, shared the happy news that he’d become a new grandfather on June 5, five years after the death of his beloved wife Joan.
Among the VIPs in the box were also tennis stars Martina Navratilova and Deborah Jevans. Read on to discover who’s who in the Royal Box on the third day of the Championships…
1. Rory Mcllroy 2 Richard E. Grant 3.Martina Navratilova 4. Charles Dance 5. Justin Rose 6. Luke Donald 7. Tommy Fleetwood 8. Thomas Bjorn 9 and 10. Edoardo and Francesco Molinari 11. Deborah Jevans 12.Keith Ajegbo 13. Alison Brittain 14. Mark Precious 15. Roy Colabawalla
1. Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll
Rory McIlroy led a legion of golf stars at Wimbledon on Wednesday as the Masters champion donned his famous green jacket – won on the greens of Augusta last year and again in April – for the occasion.
The Irish champion golfer, 37, was accompanied by his wife Erica Stoll, who cut a stylish figure in a breezy white midi dress, as the couple happily posed for photos before taking their seats in the Royal Box.
McIlroy waved to well-wishers as he arrived in the box on Day Three at the All England Club before taking his seat in the front row of the box, with wife Erica by his side.
Rory McIlroy led a legion of golf stars at Wimbledon on Wednesday as the Masters champion donned his famous green jacket for the occasion
Rory McIlroy and his wife Erica Stoll in the royal box on day three of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships
2. Richard E Grant and daughter Olivia
Royal Box regular, Richard E Grant was today joined by his daughter Olivia, after she welcomed he first child last month.
The actor, 69, cut a dapper figure in tennis whites as he arrived for a day of tennis action on the third day of the Wimbledon Championships.
The star was arm-in-arm with Olivia, who opted for a chic white jacket and pale blue flared trousers.
Richard E. Grant in the royal box with his daughter Olivia Grant on day three of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships
3. Martina Navratilova
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has won 59 Grand Slam titles overall, including 31 in women’s doubles and 10 in mixed doubles.
The last was a mixed doubles championship with Bob Bryan at the 2006 US Open, a month shy of her 50th birthday.
The Czech-American former tennis pro originally retired in 1994, after a record 167 singles titles and 331 weeks at No. 1 in the WTA rankings.
In 2023, the sporting icon revealed just weeks before Wimbledon that she had been told she was free of cancer.
‘Thank you to all the doctors, nurses, proton and radiation magicians etc- what a relief,’ she wrote.
Martina, 66, also added ‘f*** cancer’ in the post. She revealed she had been diagnosed with throat cancer and breast cancer in January that year and that she would begin treatment that month.
Former tennis player Martina Navratilova is seen in the Royal Box on day two
4. Charles Dance
Veteran actor Charles Dance, who has been spotted in the Royal Box several times over the years, also brought the start power today.
Charles, who played Tywin Lannister in HBO’s smash hit Game of Thrones, looked dapper in a navy suit as he settled in for an afternoon of tennis at Centre Court.
Charles Dance and Angharad Wood in the Royal Box on Centre Court
5. Justin Rose
Justin Rose is an English professional golfer who first rose to fame when he finished fourth place at the 1998 Open Championship as an amateur.
He turned pro the next day but struggled during his first couple of years as a professional, making few cuts.
He won the US Open in 2013 and was awarded an MBE in 2017, which he said would l ‘sit in pride of place with my other trophies’.
6. Luke Donald
Golfer Luke Donald and partner Diane are seen in the Royal Box
English professional golfer Luke Donald, 48, also made his way to Centre Court today.
He claimed the top spot in the Official World Golf Ranking after his May 2011 win in the BMW PGA Championship, which took place at Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey.
The England Golf Hall of Famer was recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List, as he received an OBE for his services to the sport.
7. Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood is an English professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and European Tour. He has won six times on the European Tour.
He attended the first Friday of Wimbledon alongside his wife Clare, who works as his manager.
The couple have been married since December 2017, and share three children with one another.
8. Thomas Bjorn
Former Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn was among today’s contingent of golfers in the Royal Box.
The pro golfer, 54, was joined by Grace Bjorn, with the couple tying the knot in 2023.
9 and 10. Edoardo and Francesco Molinari
The Molinari brothers were also in attendance, as they posed for photos with Rory, Tommy, and the rest of the golf group.
Ryder Cup vice-captain Edoardo was accompanied by his wife Anna, while Francesco attended with his partner, Valentina.
11. Deborah Jevans
British former tennis player Deborah Jevans CBE has been at the hallowed location numerous times, as a former junior Wimbledon champion.
She also played 10 times in the women’s singles (between 1979 and 1983). Her best result was reaching the fourth round, when she lost to fifth-seeded Virginia Wade.
Ms Jevans also played in the doubles event, reaching the quarter finals of the mixed doubles event in 1978, playing with her future husband and Wimbledon referee Andrew Jarrett.
She became the first chairwoman of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club Board in 2023, succeeding Ian Hewitt.
In 2013, she was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Year Honours due to her services to Sport and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games’, when she served as director of sports for the event.
12. Sir Keith and Lady Ajegbo
Sir Keith Ajegbo was knighted in 2007, after his years of work in the education sector.
According to the website of Downing College Cambridge – where Sir Keith is an honourary fellow – he spent two decades as Head of Deptford Green School, having raised the institution’s profile and cementing its reputation.
From 2006 to 2009, he was also a government adviser.
Sir Keith was also the Chair of the Stephen Lawrence Trust, which is a Trustee of the Charitable Foundation of the AELTC.
In the 60s, he also captained the Cambridge University tennis team against Oxford.
He attended with Lady Ajegbo.
13. Alison Brittain
Alison Brittain, the first female chair of the Premier League, was also one of the day’s VIPs as she took her seat with husband, Kevin.
Before she was appointed to the prestigious role, Alison was CEO of hospitality giant Whitbread and oversaw the £3.9billion sale of the Costa coffee chain to Coca-Cola.
The British businesswoman has advised the last three Prime Ministers and was awarded a CBE in 2019.
14. Mark Precious
Another athlete sitting in one of the sought after spots in the Royal Box today was Mark Precious, a former student at University College in Oxford.
The former field hockey player won the bronze medal with the British team at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
15. Roy Colabawalla
Roy Colabawalla is the Corporate Partner at Sydney Mitchell LLP and President of the Lawn Tennis Association.
The Sydney Mitchell partner was appointed youngest president in Lawn Tennis Association history earlier this year.
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Should celebrities and sports stars get priority access to Wimbledon’s best seats over lifelong tennis fans?
