Meghan fell foul of Wimbledon etiquette on her surprise visit to cheer on Serena Williams last week, with All England Club sources accusing her of breaking the rules by wearing jeans
Meghan has been accused of falling foul of Wimbledon etiquette on her surprise visit to cheer on Serena Williams last week – because she was wearing jeans in a members’ only area.
Palace officials claimed the Duchess of Sussex, 37, attended the All England Club in a ‘private capacity’ last Thursday, telling fans not to take photos of her.
She sat in an exclusive area of the crowd on Court 1 to watch her friend Serena, 37, beat Kaja Juvan in the second round.
But club sources say she was a ‘nightmare’ to accommodate, with her casual attire and ‘self-regarding paranoia’.
An official tasked with organising the event told The Times: ‘It was a nightmare, she was a nightmare.’
An England Club insider told the newspaper she was not supposed to be wearing jeans for the seats she had, saying: ‘She wanted to come incognito but there were problems.
‘They couldn’t invite her into the royal box because she was wearing jeans but that didn’t really matter because all she wanted to do was come and watch Serena.’
The source claimed it was fortunate Andy Murray was playing on the same court after Serena, as she would not have been allowed in the Royal Box on Centre Court with jeans on- despite being a member of the royal family.
The former Suits actress sparked a huge row after her bodyguards told fans not to take pictures of her during the match.
She was branded ‘childish’ and a ‘control freak’ after former world champion Sally Jones, 64, revealed she was warned about taking pictures.
Club sources say the Duchess (centre) she was a ‘nightmare’ to accommodate, with her casual attire and ‘self-regarding paranoia’
Palace officials claimed the Duchess of Sussex (second right), 37, attended the All England Club in a ‘private capacity’ last Thursday to watch her friend Serena (front) play
A spectator taking a selfie while Meghan’s personal assistant (dressed in white), raises her hand, in an attempt to stop pictures being taken of the Duchess of Sussex
A number of people sitting close to the Duchess at Wimbledon were told to stop taking photos
The former tennis star said she was forced to inform the ’embarrassed’ bodyguard she was trying to get a photograph of Serena and had no idea Meghan was there.
Mrs Jones told MailOnline the Duchess was ‘clearly looking around looking to see who was looking at her’, adding: ‘Harry and Meghan see themselves more as A-list celebrities rather than royals carrying out their duties. It’s control-freakery’.
She added: ‘There were around 200 photographers snapping away at her but security were sent to warn an old biddy like me. It makes them look silly. It’s childish and takes us for fools’.
Another spectator took a selfie of himself and Court 1 near her – but Meghan’s bodyguard also warned him about taking pictures in her vicinity.
Celebrity commentators weight in on the debate, with long-standing critic Piers Morgan tweeting: ‘A private capacity, at Wimbledon? This is so ridiculous.
‘It’s rankly hypocritical and they’re not private people, they’re the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. If you want to be private, go back to America and live privately’.
Meghan is seen clapping and cheering Serena Williams on Court 1 at Wimbledon on Thursday
Meghan is pictured in a white striped blazer, black top, blue jeans and a white straw hat at Wimbledon on Thursday
Location, Location, Location star Kirstie Allsopp added to the debate: ‘If you earn money by entertaining, in sport or media, or by being a member of the royal family, photos are part of the deal – because you’re b****y lucky to have the privileges that come with the jobs & the wages’.
Sally Jones, pictured at Wimbledon this week, was upset after being asked not to take pictures in the direction of the royal
Kensington Palace declined to comment on the controversy – but a royal source told MailOnline: ‘It’s not uncommon for personal protection officers accompanying any members of the Royal Family to ask people not to take pictures so they can engage with people and events rather than camera phones’.
A spokesman for the All England Club insisted that Meghan’s visit was ‘nothing but a privilege’ at that any other view ‘was not that of the club’.
The row comes straight after public outcry over the Sussexes decision to christen their son Archie in a ‘private’ ceremony and refuse to reveal his godparents.
Devoted royal fans were furious they were unable to get a glimpse of guests as they arrived at Windsor Castle for the secretive baptism on Saturday.
Meghan and Harry banned the press from photographing guests arriving at the event and used a royal loophole to stop people accessing Church of England baptism records state who Archie’s godparents are.
It had previously emerged the taxpayer forked out £2.4million for renovations to the couple’s new house, Frogmore Cottage.