Thursday 16 June 2022 05:22 PM Queens of Ladies Day! Princess Anne leads the royals at Royal Ascot trends now
The glamorous ladies in the British royal family have turned out in force at Royal Ascot today - after it was confirmed the Queen would be missing another day of the racing event.
Her Majesty's daughter Princess Anne, 71, led the royals arriving for the third day, which is Ladies Day and Gold Cup Day, alongside her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and her daughter Zara Tindall, and her husband Mike Tindall, as well as Sophie, The Countess of Wessex.
Mother-of-three Zara, 41, opted for a cream Laura Green coat dress with pink button detailing and an eye-catching green and pink Justine Bradley-Hill hat, teamed with Karen Millen shoes.
Sophie appeared just as elegant in a Thalia Watercolour floral gown from Suzannah, priced at £4,950, which featured a flared skirt and a sophisticated strappy V-neckline.
The Queen's colt Reach For The Moon goes for gold in the Hampton Court Stakes today and the one-time Derby favourite is a warm order to deliver an Ascot victory in the Platinum Jubilee year. As such, it had been hoped the monarch, 96, would make her first visit of the meeting to see him run.
However, it was confirmed on Thursday lunchtime that she will not make the trip. The Queen, who has been at every Royal Meeting since acceding to the throne in 1952, apart from when it was held behind closed doors in 2020, missed the first two days earlier this week, amid her ongoing mobility issues.
The five-day society favourite event has returned to its pre-pandemic extravagance, after restrictions meant it was subdued in 2020 and 2021 - with glamorous racegoers pulling out all the stops for Ladies Day.
Power couple! Zara Tindall, wearing a Laura Green coat dress and a Justine Bradley-Hill hat, teamed with Karen Millen shoes, holds onto her husband Mike Tindall's arm as they walk together
Blooming lovely! Sophie Wessex commanded attention in a £4,950 floral gown from Suzannah, boasting a flared skirt and an elegant V-neckline
Pretty in pink! Sophie teamed her rainbow floral gown with a stunning pink hat, while Zara went for a green boater hat
Glamorous ladies: The Princess Royal attends Royal Ascot, pictured left, while Lady Sarah Chatto also makes an appearance, pictured right
A family affair! Princess Anne, 71, and her daughter, Zara Tindall, arrive by carriage for Ladies Day at Royal Ascot as they lead the royal members arriving at the event
Sharing a giggle! Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and Zara are seen smiling with one another as they attend the racing event
All smiles: Zara appeared in great spirits and seemingly couldn't help but smile during her and her husband's outing
Mother-of-three Zara, 41, opted for a cream Laura Green coat dress with pink button detailing and an eye-catching green and pink Justine Bradley-Hill hat, teamed with Karen Millen shoes
Like mother, like daughter: Princess Anne appeared equally as elegant as her daughter Zara, with both sporting glamorous dresses
Dapper: Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and Mike Tindall appear in a carriage together as they arrive for Ladies Day
Say cheese! Mike and Zara were spotted taking a selfie while standing on a balcony at day three of Royal Ascot
The Queen not only has the John and Thady Gosden-trained Reach For The Moon running on Thursday, as Saga contests the Britannia Stakes and Tactical runs in the Buckingham Palace Stakes on what is the third day of the fixture.
Her Majesty appeared at Royal Ascot just once in 2021, making the trip to watch Reach For The Moon finish second in the Chesham Stakes on the final day of the meeting.
The British royal family has been out in force this week, with the Prince of Wales, 73, and Duchess of Cornwall, 74, Princess Anne, 71, The Earl and Countess of Wessex, and Princess Beatrice, 33, and Edoardo Mapelli-Mozzi, 38, all attending.
Joining the royals, Lady Sarah Chatto - the Queen's 58-year-old niece, who is close with her aunt but usually keeps a low profile - was also spotted among the elegant guests who made their way to Royal Ascot this afternoon.
Stylish Sarah donned a white dress with a pleated skirt, a matching cardigan and a white sunhat for the occasion, which marked the second time this week that she has been spotted at the Ascot racecourse.
Rollercoaster of emotions! Despite being all smiles earlier in the day, Zara appeared emotional when watching the races
Giving it their all! The royal put on a very animated display when watching the races alongside Natalie Pinkham
On tenterhooks! Natalie Pinkham, Zara Tindall, Anna Woolhouse and Kirsty Gallacher cheer on the Gold Cup race
Fashionable: Mother-of-three Zara, pictured holding onto her husband Mike, finished her look with a pair of sunglasses
Yesterday she was seen chatting with her cousin the Prince of Wales, who plucked a gallant kiss on her hand. She has attended Ascot on several occasions in the past.
Showing their appreciation for the races' return, guests were snapped wearing stunning outfits boasting a rainbow of colours today, as they made the most of the sunshine.
Looking effortlessly elegant, the ladies donned high fashion finery and some show-stopping millinery for their big days out, while the men looked equally sophisticated in suits.
Among the famous faces attending today's event was TV judge Rob Rinder, who joked he was waiting for racing tips from broadcaster Clare Balding, who comes from a horse racing family.
Radiant: Sophie, The Countess of Wessex, appears elegant in a multi-coloured dress, while Princess Anne opts for an orange ensemble, pictured right
The British royal family has been out in force this week, with the Prince of Wales, 73, and Duchess of Cornwall, 74, Princess Anne (pictured), 71, The Earl and Countess of Wessex, and Princess Beatrice, 33, and Edoardo Mapelli-Mozzi, 38, all attending
Showing their appreciation for the races' return, guests were snapped wearing stunning outfits boasting a rainbow of colours today, as they made the most of the sunshine. Pictured, Zara, left
Charming! Former England Rugby player Mike Tindall appeared dapper when attending today's event alongside his wife
Stylish: Zara, pictured with her husband Mike, teamed her coat dress with hot pink heels, a cream handbag and glittering earrings from Laurence Coste
Having a laugh! Sophie and Zara seemed to be having a great time as they chatted with each other at day three of Royal Ascot
Royals at the races! Zara and Mike, who have children Mia, Lena and Lucas together, stayed together while in the parade ring
'Every time she's given me a tip it's come last,' he said with a smile. He added: 'It's so nice to be around each other post-lockdown. You can feel the joy. And draw in the royal family, it's a mix of the delightful and really unique British eccentricity.'
One Ascot racegoer was wearing a plastic parrot in full flight and surrounded by foliage on her head, and carried another in a cage as her handbag.
The headpiece was created by Inga Kovalerova, a fashion designer who was inspired by a recent trip to Mexico, where she saw a Frida Kahlo exhibition.
Yuan Li, a milliner from London, was wearing a rainbow-coloured hat made from ostrich feathers of different hues in a tribute to Pride month.
'This is a great day for us milliners. This is the place where your imagination can go free. There are no limits for us who work in fashion,' she said. 'I think because Ascot attracts the royals it's unique and it mixes something quintessentially British with the flamboyant nature of people, which is great.'
Joining in! Lady Sarah Chatto was spotted among the elegant guests who made their way to Royal Ascot this afternoon
Stylish Sarah donned a white dress with a pleated skirt, a matching cardigan and a white sunhat for the occasion. It is the second time this week that Sarah was spotted along the Ascot racecourse. Yesterday she was seen chatting with her cousin the Prince of Wales, 73, who plucked a gallant kiss on her hand
Couple goals: Zara and Mike appeared relaxed as they walked around the parade ring during Royal Ascot 2022 at Ascot Racecourse
Royally good day out! Princess Anne, the Queen's daughter, appeared in good spirits as she attended today's occasion
Saying hello: The Queen's granddaughter, Zara, greeted guests at Royal Ascot with a peck on the cheek this afternoon
Zara puts on an animated display when chatting to Kirsty Gallacher on the third day of Royal Ascot this afternoon
Here comes the sun: Natalie Pinkham dazzles in a metallic ensemble when posing next to an equally radiant Kirsty Gallacher
Speaking ahead of the day's races today, which is Gold Cup Day, jockey Frankie Dettori spoke about his experience of winning the cup in previous years, and discussed Her Majesty's passion for racing.
He said: 'Today will be emotional. The Gold Cup (4:20pm) is the most prestigious race of the week, and the only one where you get to receive the trophy from The Queen. I’ve been lucky enough to win it eight times and it’s the ultimate feeling really.
'We’re very lucky to have a monarch who loves racing so much. It’s in her blood, and it doesn’t get much bigger than Her Majesty handing you the Gold Cup.'
Talking about Stradivarius, who he will be riding today, Frankie said: 'Win, lose or draw on Stradivarius, I’m sure he’ll get a great reception and the send-off he truly deserves on what will be his final run at Ascot.
'He’s done a tremendous amount for racing, and no matter what happens today he will always be remembered as one of the greatest stayers we’ve ever seen.
'To be running in
