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The pastime of a Queen
Royal Ascot evolved from the first four-day race meeting held at Ascot in 1768, although the meeting, as it is known today, only really started to take shape with the introduction of The Gold Cup in 1807. Until 1939, Royal Ascot was the only race meeting held at the racecourse. The Gold Cup remains the feature race of the third day of Royal Ascot, traditionally the busiest day of the week, when high fashion and exquisite millinery take center stage alongside flat racing’s most elite stayers.
Each of the five days of Royal Ascot would begin with the Royal Procession at 2pm, when the Queen and other members of the royal family arrived down the straight mile in the Royal Landaus, accompanied by the playing of the National Anthem and the raising of the Royal Standard. This tradition was started in 1825 by King George IV.
Royal Ascot is Britain’s most valuable race meeting, attracting many of the world’s finest racehorses to compete for millions of pounds in prize money (just over £8,652 million in June 2022). Approximately 500 horses race across the five days.
Ascot employees increase by more than 6,500 temporary staff, with over 33,500 items of temporary furniture and 20,000 flowers and shrubs grown especially for the Royal Meeting.
There are four enclosures in total at Royal Ascot, three of them open to the public. The Royal Enclosure is the most prestigious, with access strictly limited. First-time applicants must apply to the Royal Enclosure Office and gain sponsorship from someone who has attended the Royal Enclosure for at least four years. Existing members are sent invitations by Her Majesty’s Representative to request badges each year. Badges are handwritten and can only be worn by the named person. Colours of badges vary for each day of the Royal Meeting.
The Royal Enclosure has the strictest Dress Code, with men wearing grey, navy or black morning dress and top hat, and women wearing formal daywear and a hat with a solid base of 4 inches (10 cm) or more in diameter.
Glossary:
millinery: modisteria
stayers: cavalli (di corso)
landaus: carrozze
shrubs: cespugli
enclosures: recinti
applicants: candidati
strictest: rigidissimo
morning dress and top hat: “tight” con cilindro
daywear: abbigliamento formale da giorno
Royal Ascot 2021
