Rose Ayling-Ellis, the mayor of Wandsworth, and a past president of Tennis Australia are among those sitting in the Royal Box on the third day of the 2022 Wimbledon tournament.
The Royal Box, which is located on Centre Court at the legendary SW19 sports venue, has 74 seats reserved for the royal family and invited guests of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC).
Wimbledon organisers handed out hundreds of free tickets to Ukrainian refugees in a bid to welcome them to their new homes last week.
In a couple of weeks, the special ticket holders will be able to spend the day at No.1 Court, an opportunity to see some “amazing tennis”, according to Wimbledon Foundation head Paige Murphy.
She said: “It’s an incredibly proud moment for us – it’s really part of our mission… to give people a really special experience after a really traumatic few months.
“To be able to provide a unique day when they can hopefully have a bit of respite and really get some enjoyment out of it is incredibly inspiring for us.”
Who is in the Royal Box?
Along with Strictly star Rose and her mother, Donna Ayling, attendees include figures from the worlds of sports, business and the local community.
These include Jeremy Ambache, mayor of Wandsworth; Minette Batters, president of the National Famer’s Union; Heba Bevan, founder of smart sensor technology company Utterberry; singer Pauline Black; and Untapped co-founder Ezechi Britton.
Steve Healy, past president of Tennis Australia, is also in the Royal Box today, as is Sir Nicholas Young, the former CEO of the British Red Cross, and Sir James Dyson, founder of Dyson Ltd.
Other guests inside Wednesday’s Royal Box include editor of the Daily Mail, Ted Verity; DeliverAid co-founder, Charlotte Butter; A&E doctor, Dr Jack Manley; and Activity Alliance CEO Barry Home.
