Kate Middleton At Royal Ascot: Radiant Amid Outrageous Hats And Flamboyant Fashion – Forbes

This year’s Royal Ascot races, undoubtedly one of the most quintessential British royal events and its most valuable race attracting many of the world’s finest racehorses competing for millions in prize money, began with the usual parade of extravagant hats, crazy fascinators, showy dresses and suits that are as much a spectacle as the horses.

Day One of the five-day race launched with the royal family — including Kate Middleton, Prince William, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, and Netherland’s Queen Máxima and King Willem-Alexander — arriving in closed rather than traditionally-open carriages due to the rain.

The “Royal Procession” of horse-drawn carriages rides alongside the Berkshire-venue led by the Queen who, according to the British media, has not missed a single Royal Ascot in 64 years.

Since 1711, when the first Royal Ascot took place, the British monarch attends every year, arriving at 2 p.m. each day accompanied by various members of the royal family. A number of horses from the queen’s stable compete.

“Ascot Racecourse was founded by Queen Anne in 1711, and has since received the patronage of a further 11 monarchs,” the Royal Family website reads. “The Ascot summer race meeting officially became a Royal week in 1911. The queen is owner and breeder of many thoroughbred horses, and her horses have won races at Royal Ascot a number of times.”

Royal Ascot is not only a major British race but a major British social event that, among other strict rules, includes a 36-page dress code which all attendees are required to follow, starting with the royal family, and that then gives way to another race, this one of flamboyant glamour, fun and frivolity.

Thousands of people, among them many of the rich and famous, descend on the small town of Ascot west of London to see and be seen.

Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge accompanied by Prince William, @KensingtonRoyal, and looking radiant, , was one of the stars of the parade.

For the inauguration, she wore a periwinkle blue Elie Saab dress with a sheer bodice and sleeves over a matching slip and an equally-blue Philip Treacy fascinator that had a large flower tucked underneath.

She didn’t participate in the races last year during her maternity leave.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, @sussexroyal, who made her Royal Ascot debut last year, did not attend this year’s event for the same reason. Earlier this month, at the Trooping of the Color event, which also serves as the celebration of the queen’s birthday, the Duchess of Sussex made her first official appearance since delivering their son, Archie, on May 6 and there were rumors about the possibility of her Ascot attendance this year.

Judging by the extravagant headgear sported by the racegoers, it’s safe to expect that the unofficial competition of hats and fascinators will be as intense, experimental and flamboyant as ever.

After all, the size and imagination of the ladies’ appearance is as much an element of the tradition as is the bloodlines of the running equines, many of which come from the most prestigious racehorse breeders of the world 

Let’s block ads! (Why?)