Princess Beatrice Has a Lively Chat with Lena Dunham and Stephen Fry in Wimbledon's Royal Box

King Charles' niece isn't the first royal to attend the tennis tournament this year

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in the royal box on day nine of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London. Picture date: Tuesday July 9, 2024
Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi attend Wimbledon on July 9, 2024. Photo:

Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty

Princess Beatrice is bringing the royalty to the Royal Box at Wimbledon.

King Charles' niece and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, attended day nine of the tennis tournament in London on July 9. The couple took their seats in the front row of the Royal Box at Centre Court to watch Italy's Jannik Sinner play Russia's Daniil Medvedev in the men's singles quarterfinal.

Princess Beatrice popped in one of her go-to ensembles for summer: a floral print dress. The dress code for the Royal Box requires "smart" outfits, with men required to wear suits and ties. Edo looked fashionable in a brown suit paired with a blue shirt and red tie for the outing.

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Princess Beatrice of York and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi attend day nine of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 09, 2024 in London, England
Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi attend Wimbledon on July 9, 2024.

Karwai Tang/WireImage

Princess Beatrice, 35, and Edo, 40, were surrounded by familiar faces in the prestigious seats and were spotted turning around to chat with English comedian Michael McIntyre, English actor, Stephen Fry and Girls star Lena Dunham.

The group was all smiles during their conversation before turning their attention to the tennis action.

Princess Beatrice and her husband, who will celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary on July 17, are regulars at Wimbledon, attending the event as a couple every year since 2021 (when they were expecting their first child together — daughter Sienna Elizabeth was born that September).

Princess Beatrice of York, Michael McIntyre, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Stephen Fry and Lena Dunham attend day nine of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 09, 2024 in London, England
(Back row from left) Michael McIntyre, Stephen Fry and Lena Dunham chat with (front row from left) Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi at Wimbledon on July 9, 2024.

Karwai Tang/WireImage

Members of royal families often attend the tennis tournament, and Princess Beatrice isn't the first royal to make an appearance this year. Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester (who is married to Queen Elizabeth's first cousin) sat in the Royal Box twice already in 2024, while Prince Albert of Monaco watched the sporting event on July 8. Prince Michael of Kent, one of Queen Elizabeth's cousins, was in the stands for day five.

Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece and his daughter, Princess Maria-Olympia, supported the event on its opening day on July 1, as did Lord Frederick Windsor, the son of Queen Elizabeth's first cousin Prince Michael of Kent.

Kate Middleton's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, stepped out for the sporting action on July 4.

Princess Beatrice of York, Michael McIntyre, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Stephen Fry and Lena Dunham attend day nine of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 09, 2024 in London, England
(Back row from left) Michael McIntyre and Stephen Fry chat with (front row from left) Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi at Wimbledon on July 9, 2024.

Karwai Tang/WireImage

While the 74-seat Royal Box is synonymous with royalty, the seats are not exclusively reserved for them. The chairman of the All England Club distributes invites for the two weeks of athletic competition, with suggestions submitted by members of the Championships’ Organising Committee, the Lawn Tennis Association and other sources, according to Wimbledon's website.

"British and overseas royal families are invited as well as heads of government, people from the world of tennis, commercial partners, British armed forces, prominent media organizations, supporters of British tennis and other walks of life," Wimbledon states.

Attendees at the 2024 tennis tournament so far have included Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, Bake Off star Mary Berry, actress Salma Hayek, and theater legend Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Britain's Princess Beatrice of York sit in the royal box to watch Italy's Jannik Sinner play against Russia's Daniil Medvedev during their men's singles quarter-final tennis match on the ninth day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 9, 2024
Princess Beatrice attends Wimbledon on July 9, 2024.

HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty

At the end of each day, Royal Box guests are invited to the Clubhouse for lunch, tea and drinks.

It remains to be seen if Princess Kate will make it to Wimbledon this year as she continues her treatment for cancer. As the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, a role she received from Queen Elizabeth in 2016, the Princess of Wales, 42, traditionally awards prizes to the winning athletes.

All England Club chair Debbie Jevans recently told Telegraph Sport that they were "hopeful" Princess Kate would be able to attend, with the outlet reporting that the decision on who will present the trophies may not be made until the morning of the finals.

"We’re hopeful that the Princess of Wales will be able to present the trophies as the Club’s patron, but her health and recovery is the priority," Jevans said in a June 27 article. "We don’t know what we don’t know. All we’ve said is that we’ll work with her and give her as much flexibility as possible."

 Catherine, Princess of Wales gives the trophy to Carlos Alcaraz of Spain
Kate Middleton attends Wimbledon on July 16, 2023.

Shi Tang/Getty 

On July 8, The Telegraph reported that Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester may present trophies this weekend if Princess Kate is unavailable. The Duchess of Gloucester, 78, is an avid tennis fan and the Honorary President of the Lawn Tennis Association.

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