Wimbledon’s Royal Box took on a distinctly sporting flavour today, with several of golf’s biggest names — headed by Rory McIlroy — arriving at SW19.
The sought-after seats, traditionally reserved for leading figures from sport, entertainment and society, hosted the Northern Irish star as he made a stylish appearance with wife Erica Stoll, two months after his landmark Masters victory.
McIlroy was in notable company, with English golf stars Luke Donald, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood also among those taking their places in the box.
Adding to the celebrity presence were Game of Thrones actor Charles Dance and Richard E. Grant, who attended with his daughter Olivia as she stepped out for the first time since welcoming her baby.
Grant, 69, recently revealed the joyful news that he had become a grandfather on June 5, five years after the death of his much-loved wife, Joan.
Tennis great Martina Navratilova and Deborah Jevans were also among the high-profile guests. Read on for a guide to the famous faces spotted in the Royal Box on day three of the Championships…
1. Rory McIlroy 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. He matched the jacket with a crisp white shirt, green tie and classic sand coloured chinos.
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.
It’s the third time the top golfer has been invited into the prestigious Royal Box, visiting first in 2011 and then again in 2018 before today.
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 Grant, after she welcomed her first child last month.
The actor, 69, whose glittering career includes lead roles in Withnail and I and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, cut a dapper figure in a white suit as he arrived for a day of tennis action on the third day of the Wimbledon Championships.
Richard, who lost his beloved wife Joan Washington in 2021, went for a patriotic look at England’s most famous tennis tournament, wearing a bright blue shirt, Union Jack tie and beige waistcoat under his white jacket.
The star arrived in SW19 arm-in-arm with Olivia, who works as a casting director and gave birth to her first child, a boy, earlier this month, making Richard a grandfather for the first time. Olivia is married to Florian Wirst and the couple live with Richard at the family home in Gloucestershire.
The father-and-daughter looked delighted to be spending time watching Wimbledon’s show court, where world number one Jannik Sinner was first on playing Nuno Borges.
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 British actor Charles Dance, who has been spotted in the Royal Box several times over the years, also brought the star power to the best seats in the house today.
The 79-year-old, who played Tywin Lannister in HBO’s smash hit Game of Thrones and has a career spanning more than five decades, looked dapper in a navy suit as he settled in for an afternoon of tennis.
The veteran actor, who first shot to fame in the mid Eighties in the ITV drama miniseries The Jewel in the Crown, also donned a pale blue shirt with a floral tie for the occasion.
The actor’s girlfriend, Italian production manager Alessandra Masi, did not attend and instead Charles made Angharad Wood, his long-term agent and friend his date for the afternoon. Wood is the co-founder of London-based talent agency Tavistock Wood.
Charles Dance and Angharad Wood in the Royal Box on Centre Court
5. Justin Rose
Justin Rose, who has more than 20 golfing titles to his name, arrived to a round of applause as he visited Wimbledon for the second year in a row
English pro golfer Justin Rose was also amongst the sportsmen seated in the Royal Box on Day Three.
The British golfer, whose 20-year career has seen him rise to World number one and scoop more than 20 titles, is also a regular at Wimbledon, having visited three times now, including last year.
In 2019, South African-born Rose, 45, met legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal when he bagged tickets in the Royal Box.
The star, who 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’, looked dapper in a linen suit jacket, with white trousers and a pale blue shirt with matching tie.
6. Luke Donald
Golfer Luke Donald and partner Diane are seen in the Royal Box
Also swapping the green for a spot of spectating this afternoon was another English professional golfer – Luke Donald.
The 48-year-old and his glamorous partner Diane, both wearing Wimbledon white, chatted as they awaited the first hit of the ball on Centre Court.
Donald’s career high came when he claimed the top spot in the Official World Golf Ranking after his May 2011 win in the BMW PGA Championship, just up the road from SW19 at Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey.
The England Golf Hall of Famer was also recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List, as he received an OBE for his services to the sport.
7. Tommy Fleetwood
He’s known for his cool demeanour on the putting green and English golfer Tommy Fleetwood looked just as calm in the Royal Box on Centre Court this afternoon.
The 35-year-old, currently ranked 7th in the world and known for his long hair and designer beard, attended with this wife Clare, who works as his manager.
While Tommy wore a dark suit and checked tie, Clare opted for a deep red lace dress for her date wit the showcourt.
The couple have been married since December 2017, and share three children.
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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