13 candid photos of Prince William and Kate Middleton at Wimbledon over the years

Nearly two months after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge tied the knot, the pair made their debut as a married couple at Wimbledon in 2011.

The world-renowned tennis tournament has been a must-visit for royals for generations so it was no surprise the pair attended together.

Seated in what appears to be the Royal Box, the couple was like everyone else at the match, taking part in a crowd wave. Middleton, who was wearing a tiered white Temperley dress according to Hello! magazine, couldn't stop smiling in photographs taken of her seeing William participate.

The same year, the couple appeared to engage in a bit of courtside strategy chat as they watched from the Royal Box.

While William looked assertive with his finger point, Middleton may be more of the tennis expert in their relationship. Former tennis star Rod Laver told the Daily Mail in 2020 that the Duke of Cambridge once told him that he "couldn't beat" his wife in a game of tennis.

While both William and Middleton appear to be big fans of tennis, photos of them attending the tournament in 2012 show them often having side conversations which led to sweet moments where they were looking into each other's eyes.

As Insider previously reported, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge rarely hold hands or engage in physical touch in public, which may be due to an unwritten rule saying royal family members must act professionally.

However, there have been moments at Wimbledon over the years — such as in 2014 — when the couple got slightly closer than perhaps they would've done on official business.

Both William and Middleton seemed to have vocal, instinctive reactions to the men's final played between tennis stars Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

According to The Guardian, Djokovic was crowned the winner. The result may go some way toward explaining the duke and duchess' reactions as the pair have reportedly formed a friendship with Federer, Hello! magazine reported.

William appeared to be pointing toward something funny on the tennis court because Middleton couldn't help but crack a smile as they attended the ninth day of competition at Wimbledon in 2015.

After Murray took the title in the men's singles competition at Wimbledon, he met the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

According to People, William congratulated the tennis champion – who had welcomed his first child months before – and said: "I don't know how you manage it with no sleep."

Middleton also showered Murray with praise. "Today is about you," she said. "You played so well – well done. It was a great game."

Once again straying slightly from the reported royal rules surrounding PDA, Middleton was pictured wiping away at something on her husband's cheek while the pair were seated in the Royal Box at Wimbledon in 2017.

2017 was also the year Middleton debuted a shorter hairstyle for the summer that deviated from her classic long locks, Town & Country reported at the time.

Also in 2017, William looked on at his wife as she attempted to get her hair in check after it was blown into her eyes.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were joined by Theresa May, former British prime minister, for the men's singles final at the tennis competition in 2018 that saw Novak Djokovic defeat Kevin Anderson, according to the BBC.

Middleton and William were once again seated in the Royal Box. According to Time, the exclusive seating area has capacity for 80 attendees that often includes international royals, world leaders, and members of the British armed forces.

Containing emotions while sitting courtside at the Wimbledon men's singles final is probably an impossible task, even if you are a royal.

Both William and Middleton couldn't help but react as Djokovic went on to beat Federer in a match that saw him win his fifth Wimbledon title, according to The Guardian.

Though there have been other candid photos of William and Middleton taken outside of Wimbledon over the years, there's something about the tennis competition that provides an opportunity for the couple to act more casual in a way they aren't frequently seen doing elsewhere.

2021 was no different – the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who were dressed in cool summer tones, were expressive and all smiles sitting courtside.