An anchor of the social Season since 1826, and a favourite of the Royal Family, Cowes Week no longer appeals to ladies.
The world-famous regatta has ditched its Ladies’ Day for fear of being ‘patronising’ to the fairer sex. Instead, today’s event on the Isle of Wight will henceforth be known as Women’s Day.
‘It’s a decision to make it more about the women and their achievements on the water rather than a “Ladies’ Day” with connotations of Ascot and the glamorous spectators there,’ one of the organisers tells me.
The Duchess of Cambridge takes part in the King's Cup regatta at Cowes on the Isle of Wight
Women sailors will still be honoured, with trophies for the leading female helm and the leading all-female crew to be presented at the daily prize-giving this evening. (Presenter Charlotte Hawkins takes part in racing on Ladies Day)
Queen Victoria often attended Cowes Week, Princess Anne is a regular, and the Duchess of Cambridge took part in the King’s Cup in 2019.
Women sailors will still be honoured, with trophies for the leading female helm and the leading all-female crew to be presented at the daily prize-giving this evening.
The move to dispense with the Ladies’ prize is also down to the day being perceived as ‘patronising’.
Pips Taylor, Rosie Tapner, Jodie Kidd and Lilah Parsons attend Slingsby ladies day at Cowes Week on August 13, 2019
A director of the high-profile ‘Magenta project’, which champions women in sailing, tells me: ‘Cowes is challenging the convention of “Ladies’ Day” with the rather patronising and old-fashioned implications that can be easily interpreted and impugned from setting aside just one day to mark female involvement.’
Could the move be followed by other events of the Season, such as Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood race meetings? ‘It would be terribly sad if ladies were no longer welcome at Royal Ascot,’ a member of the Royal Enclosure tells me.
‘Ladies should not be a term of abuse; it should be something to celebrate. Will “gentlemen” become a banned word, too? There should be no place for this woke nonsense in the social calendar.’
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Well, the California-based Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been ordered to prove they want to flog goods such as clothes and books using their Archewell brand in the U.S. — or risk losing control of the name.
They’ve applied to have their new media and charitable empire protected by patent and trademark law in America. However, Harry and Meghan must now provide proof that they wish to use the brand commercially and show evidence in the form of photos.
They’ve been told by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office they have six months either to provide details of their Statement of Use or request an extension.
Documents make clear: ‘Failure to file a required document outlined above during the appropriate time period will result in the abandonment of this application.’
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