King Charles and Queen Camilla have dazzled racegoers during the annual Royal Ascot, leading the procession to mark the first day of the star-studded event

King Charles and Queen Camilla have kicked off the first day of Royal Ascot with a huge royal reunion. The pair led the royal procession arriving in style in a carriage. Charles and Camilla were joined by Prince Faisal bin Salman Al Saud and Lady Sarah Keswick: one of the Queen’s most trusted confidants.

The pair waved and smiled at eager racegoers as Charles donned his grey suit, complete with a powder blue waistcoat and baby pink tie. He also wore a black top hat, in keeping with the event’s formal dress theme, which he doffed as he travelled past the crowd. Camilla was dressed in a light grey coat dress, opting for a grey hat with feather details. Their royal carriage was pulled around the racing track by horses, before entering the royal suite.

King Charles reunited with Zara and Mike Tindall as well as Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (Image: PA)

After their carriage ride, the King and Queen mingled with other royal guests – including Zara and Mike Tindall and Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi – before making their way inside for the first race of the day. The royal couple were then seen looking animated as they watched the racing action from the stand.

Also in the procession today in the second carriage was Princess Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Wellington, and Mrs Annabel Elliot: Queen Camilla’s sister. In the third carriage, Peter Phillips – Princess Anne’s son – was joined by his girlfriend Harriet Sperling.

King Charles doffed his hat to the crowd as he arrived at day one of Royal Ascot(Image: Getty Images for Ascot Racecours)
Charles and Camilla, who are both fans of racing, are believed to be attending each day of the five-day meet in Berkshire. Writing in the official programme, the King and Queen said: “Having experienced the thrill of victory at Royal Ascot ourselves in 2023, we can only wish all those competing this week the very best of luck and that everyone watching has a most enjoyable five days.”
As well as his own passion for racing, the King has an important role to play at Royal Ascot since becoming monarch, and he is excited to get stuck into it.

A source told The Sun : “Camilla has been passionate about horse racing for many years but the King has surprised himself by how much he enjoys it. It is an opportunity to catch up with guests and show support for the horse racing industry.”

Charles and Camilla smile as they ride in a carriage at the start of Royal Ascot (Image: Samir Hussein/WireImage)

The royal couple will be hoping for a winner in the Ascot Stakes when their horse Reaching High, trained by Willie Mullins, takes on other thoroughbreds.

Mullins, reflecting on the thoroughbred’s narrow defeat at Leopardstown racecourse in Ireland, said: “I’ve been very happy since his first run, he did everything nicely at Leopardstown and if he could run a similar type of race at Ascot I would be very pleased.”

The royal couple watch the Queen Anne Stakes during day one of Royal Ascot(Image: PA)

Queen Elizabeth II was a passionate owner and breeder of thoroughbreds and had more than 20 Royal Ascot winners during her 70-year reign. Charles and Camilla have taken on her stable of horses and enjoyed their first Royal Ascot winner in 2023 when their horse Desert Hero triumphed in the King George V Stakes.

The tradition of Royal Ascot stems back to the early 1700s, with Queen Anne seeing the potential for a racecourse at East Cote, declaring that it looked an ideal place for “horses to gallop at full stretch” while out riding.

Her Majesty’s Plate, which was a race open to any horse over the age of six, first took place on August 11th 1711, with Royal Ascot only growing from then.