Princess Catherine and Princess Charlotte’s Wimbledon appearance last month—both sporting sunglasses, though not matching ones—got us thinking: what’s the royal protocol around sunglasses? People correctly pointed out that, while Catherine and Charlotte did wear shades while they watched the tennis match, when they met staff, volunteers, ball boys and girls, and others before the match began, they didn’t have sunglasses on. After the match, when they headed inside to congratulate Carlos Alcaraz on his victory, they were also absent. (By the way, you can shop Charlotte's sunglasses, and her entire Wimbledon look, here.)
Catherine often wears sunglasses at Wimbledon, but rarely does so elsewhere. Etiquette expert Myka Meier, speaking to People, explained: “Sunglasses—or ‘sunnies,’ as they are called socially in the U.K.—can be seen on royals during official engagements, but usually only during sporting events when there is an activity or event outside or when needed as eye protection for a sunny climate or environment they are in (think Kate on her royal tour in the Caribbean),” she said. “They will remove sunglasses as soon as they walk inside, have a prolonged or serious conversation, or upon any formal greeting.”
When royals are on engagements, they want to feel close to those whom with they are communicating, and “sunglasses don’t allow direct eye contact, which can be seen as a barrier when communicating,” Meier said. “By taking sunglasses off upon meeting, it is seen as a sign of courtesy and respect to the other person.” As with so much else when it comes to royal protocol, it really all comes down to manners.
As she does with other sartorial choices—from dresses to handbags to shoes—Catherine often supports British designers in her eyewear choices, from Victoria Beckham to Finlay. Her husband, Prince William, is a recent convert to Finlay, People reports, wearing the brand’s Marshall style to Wimbledon. At polo recently, Catherine also wore Finlay, hers the Vivian style.
In addition to the Wales family, King Charles and Queen Camilla have also been known to wear sunglasses from time to time; Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth did, too. “While she usually skipped sunglasses while on royal duty, the late monarch would occasionally wear them for outdoor events like garden parties at royal residences such as Buckingham Palace,” People reports.
Sunglasses, by the way, have been at the epicenter of minor royal controversies, like when U.S. President Joe Biden caught flak for wearing shades when he met the late Queen back in 2021. “It’s fine for Biden to have had sunglasses on, but he should have removed them when he actually met the Queen,” former royal butler Grant Harrold told Newsweek. “Everyone else has to. It doesn’t matter who you are—even royals remove sunglasses when they meet royals.”
Meier said it is proper etiquette to remove your sunglasses when inside, writing on Instagram “Wearing sunglasses indoors can be seen as disrespectful or that you are hiding something and deemed untrustworthy.” She continued that a good rule of thumb is “If they aren’t on your face, then they should be in your case.” Instead of putting your sunglasses in your pocket, shirt, or on your head, she advises “If you’re not wearing sunglasses, they go in their case, not only to protect them from scratches and damage, but it also shows respect for the investment you’ve made in them.”
Speaking of making an investment, check out some of the royal family’s favorite sunglasses here, like the Finlay "Henrietta" style, which both Catherine and Meghan like.
Meghan wore Le Specs Air Heart sunglasses to her baby shower in 2019, and these Ray-Ban Wayfarers are a classic Catherine go to.
