The question everyone's asking about Kate Middleton's Wimbledon dress

As per usual, the dress Kate Middleton wore to the Wimbledon men’s singles final has attracted plenty of attention.

One headline declares the Catherine Walker and & Co dress - a short sleeved white design with colourful flowers around the hem - captures “the spirit of Wimbledon”. 

Other writers have pointed out it’s a refreshing departure from the Duchess of Cambridge’s usual bold colour choices.

Image: Getty:

However, there's one detail eagle eyed fans have honed in on: the striped bow sitting near the neck of the dress.

It doesn’t take much investigative work to determine it isn’t part of the garment - the deep purple and green shades clash with the bright floral print.

(Take that, Sherlock Holmes.)

Image: Getty

So, that leaves us to speculate. Is Kate leading the charge for brooches to come back in style?

Is it a charity ribbon?

Is this her revenge for not getting to wear a sash at last week’s state banquet?

Image: Getty

The answer, it turns out, is (d) none of the above. It comes down to Wimbledon tradition.

Green and purple have been the official colours of the UK tennis tournament since 1909, and the colour scheme is evident in the seating, awnings and official apparel of the event.

According to royal fashion blog What Kate Wore, members of the The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, which hosts Wimbledon, may wear the green and purple tie or ribbon. 

Notice the man directly behind William wearing a purple and green tie? Image: Getty

Earlier this year, 35-year-old Kate stepped into the Queen’s former role as patron of the AELTCC, which explains why this is the first time we've seen her wearing the stripes to the tennis - and why she'll probably do so during future tournaments.

So there you have it: another royal mystery solved. You can sleep soundly again.