Here's Why Meghan Markle Wasn't Allowed to Wear a Hat at Wimbledon This Year

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published 15 July 2018

Today in Rules the Royal Family Has to Follow (opens in new tab): Meghan Markle (opens in new tab) was not allowed to wear her Wimbledon hat at Wimbledon this year.

Here she is at Wimbledon in 2016, just before she was set up with Prince Harry, wearing an adorable white hate with a black ribbon:

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And here she is, two years and a royal wedding later, at Wimbledon with her sister-in-law, Kate Middleton (opens in new tab), on Saturday:

Meghan was photographed pretty much constantly during her outing at Wimbledon, but never once with her beloved Wimbledon hat (because it does appear to be the same exact hat she wore two years ago) on her head, in spite of the blazing sun and searing heat.

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So why wasn't Meghan allowed to wear the hat she brought with her to Wimbledon? Clearly, it's not a Wimbledon rule, since she wore it two years ago. The difference is that this year, Meghan watched the match from the Royal Box, where different rules apply.

According to The Sun (opens in new tab), spectators in the Royal Box are expected to dress "smartly," meaning that men are encouraged to wear a jacket and tie. Guests in the Royal Box are also prohibited from wearing hats because it could block the view of others around them. Since Meghan watched like a (relative) normal last time she went to Wimbledon, she was allowed to wear her adorable white hat.

Even though she couldn't wear the accessory, it was clearly important to Meghan to have the hat with her at Wimbledon, keeping her personal tradition alive.

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.