Royal Ascot - The Ultimate Midsummer Jamboree

Did you know that Ascot was originally named East Cote? This iconic race course was founded in 1711, by Queen Anne, when she was riding out near Windsor and spotted an area of heath – apparently, she said it looked “ideal for horses to gallop at full stretch”. The first race meet was held on 11 August that year, with a prize of 100 guineas. Horses were required to carry a weight of 12 stone, with the race taking place over three heats, each four miles long – a rather different prospect to today’s examples of furious speed. 

The most legendary of race courses

It goes without saying that the most legendary of our racecourses also hosts some of the country’s most important races, such as The Gold Cup, the King George VI and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes among them. Today, there are no fewer than 26 days of racing to be enjoyed, spread between 18 flat meetings, though until 1939, the only meet was Royal Ascot. An extraordinary 300,000 people attend over the five days of Royal Ascot, with the total prize money in 2016 amounting to £6,580,000. 

Royal Ascot remains the highlight of the year, and dates back to the very foundation of the racecourse. A marvellous pageantry accompanies the June meet, with the Royal family arriving in horse-drawn carriages and the raising of the Queen’s Royal Standard – the Queen, incidentally, has attended every single Royal Ascot meet during her reign, frequently to watch her own horses race – the Queen’s racing colours are a purple body with gold braid, scarlet sleeves and a black velvet cap with gold fringe. 

There are several enclosures, the pinnacle of which, is, of course, the Royal Enclosure. Unsurprisingly, there are strict rules of entry and high security – if you wish to apply for the first time, you must know someone who has attended for at least four years. The other element is, of course, the dress code, which varies between the different enclosures. 

Dress code for the Royal Enclosure

Ladies: formal daywear is a requirement – dresses and skirts of moderate length, falling just above the knee or longer; dresses and tops must have straps of more than 1in; hats should be worn, or, if a headpiece is being worn, the base should be at least 4in in diameter. Midriffs must be covered, strapless, off the shoulder, halter necks and spaghetti straps are not permitted, fascinators are not permitted. Trouser suits can be worn if they are full length and of matching material and colour. 

Gentlemen: black or grey morning suit, with a waistcoat and tie, a top hat and plain black shoes. 

Children: are only admitted on Friday and Saturday. Girls between the ages of 10 and 17 should dress according to the Ladies’ Code, but may wear a fascinator. Boys between the ages of 10 and 17 should comply with the gentlemen’s dress code, though they may wear a dark lounge suit with a shirt as an alternative to morning suits.