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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Ekin Karasin

Who's in the Royal Box at Wimbledon? Benedict Cumberbatch and his wife among stars at Centre Court on Day 9

Benedict Cumberbatch and his wife Sophie Hunter led the celebrities in the Royal Box for the quarter-finals of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships on Tuesday.

The Imitation Game actor, 49, and his theatre director partner, 48 - who married in 2015 - looked stylish as they took their seats at Centre Court at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

Other VIPs in attendance included actor and model Arden Cho, 40, who played Rumi in the Netflix hit KPop Demon Hunters alongside her surgeon husband Christopher Lee, hot off the heels of their wedding last month.

Hunter wore a pair of chic aviator sunglasses (PA)
Hunter wore a pair of chic aviator sunglasses (PA)
Cumberbatch politely greeted the other guests in the box (PA)
Cumberbatch politely greeted the other guests in the box (PA)
He looked stylish in a khaki suit and aviator sunglasses (Getty)
He looked stylish in a khaki suit and aviator sunglasses (Getty)

Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo, 67, who penned the acclaimed novel Girl, Woman, Other, and theatre director Sir Trevor Nunn, 86, were also among the star-studded line-up.

The famous faces descended on SW19 to watch Jessica Pegula face off against Coco Gauff.

Novak Djokovic headlines the day, facing third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and there is also a match still to be finished between Alexander Zverev and Jiri Lehecka, who will pick up midway through the third set.

Wimbledon organisers urged guests to stay hydrated and keep safe under the sun as guests gear up for what is expected to be the hottest day of the championships so far.

Andy Murray’s mother Judy (Getty)
Andy Murray’s mother Judy (Getty)
Theatre director Trevor Nunn (Getty)
Theatre director Trevor Nunn (Getty)

Guests milling around the grounds fanned themselves to keep cool and watched matches under parasols in the absence of any shade in the stands.

All England Club chief executive Sally Bolton insisted Wimbledon is prepared for the spike in temperatures, with plans in place to protect guests, staff and players in the heat.

She told reporters: “We’ve had a bit of practise, particularly last year, but over the week before the championships (as well), and we’ve got our usual measures in place.

“There’s the heat rule present for the players, although I think, looking at the temperatures, we don’t anticipate getting close to that over these next few days.”

Wimbledon’s heat rule allows for a 10-minute break during a match when the wet bulb globe temperature reaches 30.1C or higher.

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