Photo credit: © Aude Gimonet
We had such a beautiful day at Royal Ascot yesterday – the sun was shining, champagne flowing, exquisite outfits admired and most importantly, the horses kept cool with misting fans and water aplenty.
History
Ascot Racecourse was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne, who saw it as the perfect place for “horses to gallop at full stretch”. The first race was held there on 11 August of that year.
By the mid-1700s, Royal Ascot had established itself as an important date in the social calendar with the Duke of Bedford remarking “I could find no soul to dine or sup with” upon arrival in London. The gentry who moved to the newly-built Hertford Street in the late 1770s would most certainly have attended this prestigious event.
Royal Ascot 2026
Royal Ascot will be held from 16 to 20 June next year. Tickets are now on sale.