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Why was chess called the royal game in Europe?

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A chessboard showing the standard starting position for a game, with white and black pieces arranged in two rows on each side: rooks, knights, bishops, queen, and king on the back row, and pawns in front. — chess Position of chess pieces at the beginning of a game. The pieces are placed on the two ranks closest to the player. In the closest rank, pieces are arranged from left to right: rook, knight, bishop, queen, king, bishop, knight, and rook. In front of that rank, each square has a pawn.

Chess became known as the "royal game" in Europe as early as the 15th century primarily due to its immense popularity among the nobility and the upper classes.12

The game carried significant social cachet, as owning a chess set was frequently associated with wealth, power, and intellectual status. Throughout European history, it was a favored pastime of numerous monarchs, including Henry I, Henry II, Richard I, Philip II, Alfonso X (the Wise), and Ivan IV (the Terrible).1

Beyond its association with royalty, the game's aesthetic evolution reinforced this title; early European sets were often crafted from precious metals and jewels, with pieces modeled to reflect royal regalia and courtly life. While the game was occasionally banned by various rulers for its association with gambling, its status as an intellectual diversion for the elite cemented its reputation as the royal game.3124