King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive in style for grand royal reunion at Royal Ascot






King Charles and Queen Camilla marked the opening day of Royal Ascot with a grand Royal gathering. The duo led the Royal procession, making a stylish entrance in a carriage.

They were accompanied by Prince Faisal bin Salman Al Saud and Lady Sarah Keswick, one of the Queen's closest confidants. The Royal couple greeted eager racegoers with waves and smiles. Charles was dressed in a grey suit, complemented by a powder blue waistcoat and baby pink tie.

He also sported a black top hat, adhering to the event's formal dress code, which he tipped as he passed the crowd. Camilla opted for a light grey coat dress and a matching hat adorned with feathers.

Their Royal carriage, drawn by horses, circled the racetrack before entering the Royal suite, reports the Mirror.

Following their carriage ride, the King and Queen mingled with other Royal attendees - including Zara and Mike Tindall and Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi - before heading inside for the day's first race. The Royal pair were later spotted engrossed in the racing action from the stand.

Also partaking in today's procession in the second carriage were Princess Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Wellington, and Mrs Annabel Elliot, Queen Camilla's sister. In the third carriage, Peter Phillips - Princess Anne's son - was accompanied by his girlfriend Harriet Sperling.

Charles and Camilla, both avid enthusiasts of horse racing, are expected to grace each day of the esteemed five-day Royal Ascot event in Berkshire. In the words penned for the official programme, both the King and Queen conveyed their sentiments: "Having experienced the thrill of victory at Royal Ascot ourselves in 2023, we can only wish all those competing this week the very best of luck and that everyone watching has a most enjoyable five days."

In addition to a personal fondness for racing, Charles embraces a key ceremonial role at Royal Ascot as the reigning monarch, a duty he eagerly anticipates.

A confidant relayed to The Sun: "Camilla has been passionate about horse racing for many years but the King has surprised himself by how much he enjoys it. It is an opportunity to catch up with guests and show support for the horse racing industry."

The Royal duo will be cheering on their entry, Reaching High, trained by Willie Mullins, in the Ascot Stakes, vying for victory against other elite racehorses.

When considering the horse’s recent close call at Ireland's Leopardstown racecourse, Mullins shared his hopes: "I've been very happy since his first run, he did everything nicely at Leopardstown and if he could run a similar type of race at Ascot I would be very pleased."

Queen Elizabeth II, an avid equestrian enthusiast, bred thoroughbreds and celebrated over 20 Royal Ascot victories during her remarkable 70-year reign. Following in her footsteps, Charles and Camilla have inherited her stable and notched their first Royal Ascot success in 2023 when Desert Hero clinched the King George V Stakes.

Royal Ascot's legacy originates from the early 18th century when Queen Anne identified East Cote as a prime spot for a racecourse, remarking on its suitability for "horses to gallop at full stretch" during a ride.


The inaugural Her Majesty's Plate, open to any horse more than six years of age, took place on 11th August 1711, heralding the start of what would become the illustrious Royal Ascot.

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