Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races and three Grade 1 Jumps races.
The Ascot Racecourse is visited by approximately 600,000 people a year, accounting for 10% of all UK racegoers.
Royal Ascot is an annual Flat racing meeting held for five days in mid-June which hosts 18 Group races (the highest quality Flat races).
Similar to the Kentucky Derby in the United States, fashion is important at the races.
Royal Ascot runs from Tuesday June 14 to Saturday June 18 2022 and is considered a premier test for class flat horses internationally.
- Note: Queen Elizabeth unfortunately missed the first day of the Royal Ascot this year.
The Royal Ascot kicked off this Tuesday, and it has already brought plenty of glamorous fashion. 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 begins with the Royal Procession at 2pm, when the Queen and other members of the royal family arrive 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.
- Royals and Stars Show Off Their Best Fashion on the First Day of the Royal Ascot.
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.
- 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 or more in diameter. The origins of the Royal Ascot Dress Code can be traced back to the early 19th century when Beau Brummel, a close friend of the Prince Regent, decreed that men of elegance should wear waisted black coats and white cravats with pantaloons to the Royal Meeting.
- The Queen Anne Enclosure is Royal Ascot's premier public enclosure, granting guests access to the Parade Ring, Grandstand and Trackside Lawns. Guests in the Queen Anne Enclosure are also invited to participate in the daily tradition of singing around the Bandstand after racing. The Dress Code in the Queen Anne Enclosure is still formal, but more relaxed than that of the Royal Enclosure. Women must dress in a manner that befits a formal occasion and must wear a hat or fascinator at all times. Gentlemen are required to wear a full-length suit with a collared shirt, tie and socks covering the ankle.
- The Windsor Enclosure offers a more informal and relaxed atmosphere, with no formal Dress Code. Guests in the Windsor Enclosure are the first to view the Royal Procession as the enclosure is positioned to the east of the Grandstand along the Straight Mile. The Village Enclosure has been a successful addition since 2017 and is located on the Heath, in the middle of the racecourse. This enclosure, open from the Thursday to Saturday of the Royal Meeting, offers a combination of exciting street food, al fresco dining, live music and unique views of the track and famous Ascot Grandstand.
- The Village Enclosure: The Dress Code in the Village Enclosure is similar, but slightly less formal to that of the Queen Anne Enclosure, with women wearing formal daywear and a hat and men wearing jackets, full-length trousers, a tie and socks covering the ankle.
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It is always important to pay attention to the dress code of any event you attend.
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