Celebrities

King Charles ditches century-old royal rule and everyone’s talking about it

Published on July 10, 2025

King Charles is quietly shaking things up at Buckingham Palace, and this time it’s all about tennis. The monarch, now 76, is reportedly scrapping a long-standing tradition that’s been in place for over a hundred years.

Since 1919, anyone playing on the Buckingham Palace tennis court – whether they were a royal, a member of staff, or a guest – had to stick to a strict all-white dress code. The rule mirrored the same one still enforced at Wimbledon. But it looks like the King has decided it’s time to take a more laid-back approach, reported the Express.

According to The Sunday Times, the rule is now no longer set in stone. White is still “preferable”, but it’s not “essential” anymore. The change, thought to have been made by the King himself, marks a noticeable shift from the more rigid traditions of the past and could bring a more relaxed atmosphere to the royal gardens.

This update to the rule comes just as the Palace’s tennis court undergoes a bit of a makeover. As reported by The Times, the court has seen better days, with small potholes reportedly developing on the surface. It’s currently being refurbished, and the new, less formal dress code is expected to come into play once the work is complete.

Not much is publicly known about how often the court is actually used or who the regular players might be. But it’s believed to be available for royals and Palace staff, so there’s every chance familiar faces have had a knockabout there over the years.

Prince William and Princess Kate, both 43, are well known for their love of tennis, so it wouldn’t be surprising if they’ve made use of the court at some point. Their three children – Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7 – are also said to be fans of the sport, having likely inherited the enthusiasm from their sporty parents.

And it’s not just the current generation. Princess Diana, Prince William’s late mother, was also a keen tennis player. It’s entirely possible she spent time on the court during her stays at Buckingham Palace, both before and during her marriage to King Charles, back when he was still the Prince of Wales.

The move to ease off on the white-only rule is being seen by many as part of the King’s wider effort to modernise some of the Palace’s more old-fashioned customs. It’s a small but symbolic change that shows he’s happy to loosen the reins on tradition when it makes sense.

So next time someone’s having a game behind those Palace gates, they might just be doing it in something a little more colourful – and no one will bat an eye.

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