Beaming Zara and Mike Tindall were the first members of the Royal Family to arrive at Royal Ascot’s opening event today.
The daughter of Princess Anne turned heads in a glamorous custom Rebecca Vallance belt dress and fascinator, while she opted for pale heels and a Anya Hindmarch shell pink ‘Mortimer clutch’ which retails at £1,150, to finish off the look.
To accessorise, Zara, 45, selected a pair of purple and gold dazzling drop earrings and a large pair of stylish sunglasses amid the warm summer weather.
In keeping with the royal couple’s theme, former rugby captain Mike wore a blue waistcoat and pink tie – with a required top hat in line with Ascot’s dress code.
Zara and Mike were the first of the royals to arrive at today’s opening event, with King Charles and Queen Camilla expected to attend all five days of the long-awaited affair.
The King is set to present the King Charles III Stakes, while the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will present the Coventry Stakes and Princess Anne will be in charge of the St James’s Palace Stakes.
It remains unknown whether the daughters of disgraced ex-Duke Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, will ride in the Royal Procession of Carriages later today.
Firmly anchored as a jewel of the British summer season, Ascot brings together regal ceremony, daring fashion and world-class racing.
A beaming Zara and Mike Tindall were the first members of the Royal Family to arrive at Royal Ascot’s opening event today
The daughter of Princess Anne turned heads in a glamorous custom Rebecca Vallance belt dress and fascinator, while she opted for pale heels and a Anya Hindmarch shell pink ‘Mortimer clutch’ which retails at £1,150, to finish off the look
To accessorise, Zara, 45, selected a pair of purple and gold dazzling drop earrings and a large pair of stylish sunglasses amid the warm summer weather
Ascot’s connection to the Crown dates back to 1711. Queen Anne was out riding near Windsor when she stopped to inspect a stretch of open land, which she remarked was ‘ideal for horses to gallop at full stretch’.
The Ascot Racecourse was born that year and the monarchy has remained at its core ever since. The late Queen Elizabeth II, a lifelong equestrian, was its most dedicated patron, attending nearly every year of her reign.
Royal Ascot is about far more than just racing. There’s a sense of theatre at every turn – from the regimental march of the Band of the Coldstream Guards to the curated culinary offerings across the enclosures.
Last year, Zara turned heads for the opening of Royal Ascot in a custom Rebecca Vallance sky blue dress featuring lace floral embellishment on the décolletage and billowing short sleeves.
Her beaming mother looked equally fashionable in a trendy monochrome polka dot frock.
A few days later, she stepped out in a stylish blue trouser suit.
She teamed the suit with a matching blouse and a statement hat featuring an eye-catching white bow.
Royal Ascot is one of the most prestigious events on the sporting calendar and has strict dress code guidelines – although they vary depending on what enclosure you are visiting.
Zara and Mike were the first of the royals to arrive at today’s opening event, with King Charles and Queen Camilla expected to attend all five days of the long-awaited affair
In keeping with the royal couple’s theme, former rugby captain Mike wore a blue waistcoat and pink tie – with a required top hat in line with Ascot’s dress code
Zara was all smiles for today’s event, with stylish sunglasses to help her manage the warm weather
Firmly anchored as a jewel of the British summer season, Ascot brings together regal ceremony, daring fashion and world-class racing
For this year’s opening day, glamorous revellers pulled out all the sartorial stops as they arrived at Royal Ascot today to kick off the annual celebration in style.
Huge hats, vibrant dresses and feathered fascinators were all on display as thousands of revellers descended on the Berkshire racecourse this morning.
The prestigious festival is just as famous for its fashion as it is for its races – and this year, statement hats were the focal point of revellers’ eye-popping looks as day one of the annual race meeting got underway.
Dressed to impress, guests wore a variety of show-stopping headpieces as they descended on Ascot for a day of equestrian fun.
Floral prints, maxi dresses and vibrant outfits were also the order of the day for many, while others looked effortlessly elegant in crisp white frocks.
The festival was founded by Queen Anne in 1711 after she declared Ascot ideal for ‘horses fit for kings’ and has today become a major social event as well as a sporting attraction.
Stylish racegoers at today’s event turned the racecourse into a sea of vibrant outfits as they donned bright prints to ensure they stood out from the crowd.
Charlotte Hawkins opted for a bright coat dress as she arrived for the opening day, while Georgia Toffolo sported a silver and white ensemble.
Television star and socialite Lizzie Cundy sported an all-white lace number, with matching fluffy shoes and a glamorous fascinator.
Royal Ascot is known for its strict dress code. Whilst no dress code rules apply in the Windsor Enclosure, although the majority of guests choose to dress up regardless, a strict dress code operates across the Royal and Queen Anne Enclosures.
Hats are a must in both Royal enclosures. Alternatively, a headpiece or ‘hatinator’ with a minimum base diameter of 4 inches (10cm) is also acceptable.
Dresses must be knee length or longer and forget spaghetti straps – all shoulders must be a minimum width of 1 inch (2.5cm).
Strapless, off-the-shoulder and one shoulder items are also banned in the Royal and Queen Anne Enclosures.
Shorts of any kind are not permitted. But having been included in the dress code since 1971, trouser suits remain a popular choice – although they mustn’t be mismatched.
From 2017 onwards, jumpsuits have also been accepted as Ascot worthy, while men must stick to black dress shoes worn with ankle socks, but there are no footwear specifications for women.
