Anyone for a spot of tennis? The dazzling array of businessmen, aristocrats, sports legends and stars from the world of showbiz that joined William and Kate in Wimbledon's Royal Box
By EMILY ANDREWS and DAVID WILKES
|
Look closely, and you might spot a famous face or two.
While all eyes at Wimbledon's Centre Court should have been watching the tennis, many were firmly fixed on one instantly recognisable couple sat in the best seats in the house.
But anyone at SW19 - or watching on TV - couldn't help but notice there were many more less familiar faces beside them as British hope Andy Murray took on Spain's David Ferrer. So who were they?
Scroll down for identification box
Can you spot the famous faces? William and Kate were in the front row with a dazzling array of stars
Close-up: The Royal Box contained many famous faces from the world of tennis
To the right: Royalty and tennis stars including Steffi Graf (8) and Prince Michael of Kent (11) watch the action
Gripped: William and Kate are on the edge of their seats as they watch Andy Murray and David Ferrer battle it out for a place in the semi-finals
WHO WAS IN THE ROYAL BOX WITH WILLIAM AND KATE?
FRONT ROW
1. Rod Laver: Australian tennis legend who holds the record - 200 - for the most singles titles won in the history of tennis. Four time Wimbledon champion; 2. John McDonald: close friend of Laver's, the Kiwi is credited with helping to mastermind his brilliant career; 3. Gill Brook: wife of Philip Brook (see 6); 4. The Duchess of Cambridge; 5. The Duke of Cambridge; 6. Philip Brook: chairman of the All England Club; 7. Andre Agassi: retired U.S. tennis star and former world no 1; 8. Steffi Graf: the German won seven Wimbledon singles crown seven times in a stellar career. Married to Andre Agassi since 2001; 9. Phyllis Washington: wife of Dennis Washington; 10. Dennis Washington: billionaire American businessman and philanthropist; 11. Prince Michael of Kent: the Queen's cousin; 12. Lady Frederick Windsor: wife of Lord Frederick Windsor. Otherwise known as the actress Sophie Winkleman who played silent film star Dorothy Gibson in Julian Fellowes's TV drama, Titanic; 13. Lord Frederick Windsor: son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. Former playboy aristocrat who once dabbled in cocaine. Now tamed by marriage; 14. Princess Michael of Kent.
SECOND ROW
15. Richard Krajicek: Dutch former Wimbledon champion; 16. Jacco Eltingh: former professional tennis player from the The Netherlands; 17. Elizabeth Schofield: 14-year-old daughter of Barbara Slater; 18. Barbara Slater: BBC director of sport on £180,000 salary; 19. Anthony Henman: father of former British No 1 Tim Henman; 20. Jane Henman: mother of Tim, wife of Anthony; 21. Roy Hodgson: England football coach; 22. Shelia Hodgson: Roy's wife; 23. Francesco Ricci Bitti: president of the International Tennis Federation; 24. Cathy Healy: wife of Steve Healy; 25. Steve Healy: president of Tennis Australia.
THIRD ROW
26. Mark Philippoussis: Australian tennis player beaten in 2003 Wimbledon final by Roger Federer; 27. Pam Shriver: tennis broadcaster and former U.S. player; 28. Robert Ketterer: friend of Pam Shriver; 29. Todd Martin: former U.S. professional tennis player turned coach; 30. David Helfer: businessman friend of Todd Martin; 31. Jonas Bjorkman: Swedish former professional tennis player; 32. Ingrid Lofdahl-Bentzer: World Squash Association chairman; 33. Sir Michael Parkinson: veteran chat show host; 34. Lady Mary Parkinson: wife of Sir Michael; 35. Unidentified.
FOURTH ROW
36. Peter Bretherton: president of the Lawn Tennis Association; 37. Anne Bretherton: wife of Peter; 38. Peter Fleming: U.S. tennis star who won 57 doubles titles with John McEnroe, including four Wimbledon crowns; 39. Holly Fleming: Peter's daughter; 40. Larry Scott: former chairman of the Women's Tennis Association; 41. Cybille Scott: wife of Larry Scott; 42. Nony Michulka: highly-regarded American tennis coach; 43.Unidentified; 44. Ian Sarson, Group managing Director of Compass; 45. Lesley Sarson, wife of Ian; 46-49. Unidentified.
FIFTH ROW
50. Catherine Gallagher: wife of Tony Gallagher; 51. Tony Gallagher: editor of The Daily Telegraph; 52-53. Unidentified; 54. Ian Ritchie: former chairman of All England club, now RFU chief executive; 55. Jill Ritchie: wife of Ian; 56. Rosemary Diamond: partner of Des Lynam; 57. Des Lynam: popular former BBC sports anchor; 58. Ion Tiriac: Romanian businessman and former professional tennis player; 59.Baroness Emma Nicholson of Winterbourne: former MP and MEP; 60-61. Unidentified.
SIXTH ROW
62-63. Unidentified; 64. Jon Vegosen and wife Shari: Chairman of the Board and President at United States Tennis Association; 65. Shari Vegosen: wife of Jon; 66-69. Unidentified.
Wills and Kate (numbered 4 and 5) were joined by a dazzling array of stars from all walks of life yesterday who took their places in the Royal Box.
Either side of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge was Wimbledon's biggest bigwig, the man who makes it all happen, Philip Brook (6), chairman of the All England Club, and his wife Gill (9).
Britain's royal couple also had the royal couple of tennis, U.S. star Andre Agassi (7) and the darling of Centre Court Steffi Graf (8), offering some expert anaysis one seat away.
Agassi was by no means the only American, maybe because July 4 wasn't just quarter finals day, but also Independence Day, which may explain the high number of visitors from across the Atlantic.
Other Americans included the billionaire businessman and philanthropist Dennis Washington and his wife Phyllis (6 and 9), former U.S. professional tennis player turned coach Todd Martin (29), his friend David Helfer (30).
In the front row one of the greatest of them all was sat, the four-time Wimbledon champion and Australian tennis legend Rod Laver (1), who holds the record - 200 - for the most singles titles won in the history of the game. Next to him (2) was the Kiwi is credited with helping to mastermind Laver's brilliant career.
Sir Michael Parkinson with his wife Mary (right) in the Royal Box at the All England Lawn Tennis Club
Former tennis greats Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf chatted to guests and gave their expert analysis
Summer of sport: England manager Roy Hodgson (right) greets Prince William in the Royal Box
Royal approval: Murray hits a forehand return during his quarter-final match against Ferrer
Tense: Murray's girlfriend Kim Sears looks on anxiously on day nine of the championships
Long distance: Spectators at the back of Centre Court had this view of Ferrer returning a shot to Murray
At the other end, was the Queen's cousin Prince Michael of Kent (11) with his daughter in law Lady Frederick Windsor (12) and son, the former playboy aristocrat who once dabbled in cocaine Lord Frederick Windsor (13).
The Prince's wife Princess Michael of Kent (14), nicknamed 'Princess Pushy' because of her over-confident manner, completed the first row with a heavy royal contingent.
In the second row there was Richard Krajicek, Dutch former Wimbledon champion (15), and another former professional tennis player from the The Netherlands Jacco Eltingh (16).
Barbara Slater (17), the BBC's director of sport and BBC director of London 2012, with her 14-year-old daughter Elizabeth Schofield (18).
Former British No 1 Tim Henman's father is next (19) with his wife Jane (20) next to England manager Roy Hodgson (21) and his wife Sheila (22).
Francesco Ricci Bitti (23), president of the International Tennis Federation, was joined by Steve Healy (25), the president of Tennis Australia, and his wife Cathy (24).
The giant Aussie Mark Philippoussis, who was beaten in 2003 Wimbledon final by Roger Federer, was sat way back in the third row (26) alongside tennis broadcaster and former U.S. player Pam Shriver (27) and her friend Robert Ketterer (28).
Thrilling: The Duchess chews her lip with nerves and a close call causes a sharp intake of breath
Close game: Kate reacts as she watches a particularly tense moment in the match and celebrates a Murray point a little later
Stylish: The Duchess finds herself the centre of attention on Centre Court as she arrives to take her seat
Good company: The duchess sat in the row in front of Anthony and Jane Henman, parents of former British tennis player Tim Henman
Guests of honour: The royal couple arrive to watch Federer take on Youzhny on Centre Court yesterday
Game on: Just like the Middleton family, Kate and William are keen tennis fans and attended the tournament last year too
The former U.S. professional tennis player turned coach Todd Martin (29), his friend David Helfer (30), the Swede Jonas Bjorkman and World Squash Association chairman Ingrid Lofdahl-Bentzer (32) are also on a sports personality-dominated third row until the veteran chat show host Sir Michael Parkinson (33) and his wife Lady Mary Parkinson (34) were spotted.
Further back in the cheap seats there was president of the Lawn Tennis Association Peter Bretherton (36), his wife Anne (37), Peter Fleming (38), who won 57 doubles titles with John McEnroe, including four Wimbledon crowns, and Peter's daughter Holly (39).
Next up were Larry Scott (40), former chairman of the Women's Tennis Association, Cybille Scott: wife of Larry Scott (41), tennis coach Nony Michulka (42) highly regarded American tennis coach and Ian Sarson, group managing director of Compass, and wife Lesley (44 and 45).
In the fifth row was The Daily Telegraph's editor Tony Gallagher (51) and wife Catherine (52) with Ian Ritchie (54), the former chairman of All England club who is now the RFU's chief executive with his wife Jill (55).
Former BBC sports anchor Des Lynam (57) was accompanied by his partner Rosemary Diamond (56), Romanian businessman and former professional tennis player Ion Tiriac (58) and Baroness Emma Nicholson of Winterbourne, a former MP and MEP (59).
And in the final sixth row chairman of the board and president at United States Tennis Association Jon Vegosen and wife Shari (64 and 65) were spotted
Interlude: Murray sits it out as rain interrupts play and many spectators reach for their umbrellas
All action: Ferrer fights back during a gripping match that saw Murray win three sets to one
Moving on: The crowd cheers as Murray celebrates his win and progresses to the semi-final stage
Murray is congratulated by Ferrer on day nine of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2168981/Wimbledon-2012-Dazzling-array-stars-joined-Prince-William-Kate-Middleton-Royal-Box.html#ixzz1zmqYv1QZ
