King Charles and Queen Camilla put the royal seal of approval on Ascot as they join Peter Phillips and new bride Harriet Sperling in the sun for final day
King Charles and Queen Camilla have joined Peter Phillips and his new bride Harriet Sperling for a sunny fifth and final day at Royal Ascot.
The couple led the traditional royal procession down from Windsor Castle to the Berkshire racecourse in a fleet of carriages.
The King, 77, donned a smart grey suit, blue waistcoat and top hat, while Camilla, 78, opted for an elegant all-blue outfit.
Newlyweds, Peter and Harriet, who married at a private ceremony in Kemble, Gloucestershire on June 6, were invited by Charles to join in the procession.
Harriet, 45, opted for an elegant white maxi dress and matching white hat, clutching a small pink handbag as she held hands with a smartly-dressed Peter, 48.
The couple were spotted arm in arm and smiling as they arrived at the event today amid baking temperatures.
Racing kicked off this afternoon at 2.30pm and will continue into the early evening.
As well as sporting fashionable dresses and accessorising hats and fasteners, many revellers also held fans and donned sunglasses against the strength of the summer sun.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have joined Peter Phillips and his new bride Harriet Sperling for a sunny final day at Royal Ascot
Peter Phillips and his new wife Harriet Sperling are enjoying the sun at Royal Ascot today
The King, 77, donned a smart grey suit, blue waistcoat and top hat, while Camilla, 78, opted for an elegant all-blue outfit
King Charles and Queen Camilla attend Royal Ascot today
Also at Ascot on Saturday was Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds OBE
King Charles and Camilla join racegoers for the final day of Ascot
Lisa Tan opted for a black and white dotted dress and matching hat for the final day of the meet
Charlotte Hawkins on day five of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse, Berkshire
Milliner Sarah Soulsby is pictured in one of her own hats and a bright print dress on Saturday
Peter Phillips and his wife Harriet Sperling speak to James Wolf (right) on day five of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse
Ellie Simmons OBE was among the celebrities to flock to the course on Saturday, alongside Lisa Tan and Charlotte Hawkins.
On Friday there was heartbreak for the King and Queen after their horse was beaten into second place on the course.
A video of the excited royal couple cheering on one of their beloved horses – Warrant Holder, ridden by William Buick – has been circulating online.
It was a tense last stretch battle between Warrant Holder and James McDonald on board Opportunity at the 3.40pm Duke of Edinburgh Stakes of the racing festival.
But the New Zealand pilot McDonald clinched the win ahead of the King’s mount, and the couple’s enthusiasm crumbled into agony as they watched their final hope of victory disappear.
None of the King’s five horses at the event has won their races this year, despite being strongly fancied by the bookies.
Charles and Camilla own dozens of thoroughbred racing horses together, having inherited around 100 from Queen Elizabeth II, but sadly, they have not seen much glory at Ascot this year.
He occasionally auctions some of them off, selling 14 in 2022.
Racegoers pose for a picture ahead of racing on the fifth day of the Royal Ascot horse racing meeting in Berkshire
A group of women pose for photographs in pastel dresses and fascinators decorated with cakes
To combat the heat, many racegoers brought handheld fans as well as fashionable frocks and accessories
Thousands are expected to gather at Ascot today ahead of racing this afternoon
Some revellers took their headwear seriously as they flaunted their fashion at the course on Saturday
Revellers pose in pastel-coloured gowns and matching hats on Saturday
On the opening day of this year’s festival on Tuesday, another of the King’s horses Reaching High finished a disappointing dead last at the Ascot Stakes despite being a hot favourite.
The horse – trained by Willie Mullins, who dominates National Hunt racing – was sent out as a 13-8 favourite but still could not deliver the royals success.
It would have been the first win for them since 2023, when Desert Hero won the King George V handicap for the trainer-jockey partnership of William Haggas and Tom Marquand.
There are seven more races at Ascot today between 2.30pm and 6.10pm – The Norfolk Stakes, Hardwicke Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, Jersey Stakes, Wokingham Stakes, Golden Gates Stakes Handicap and the Queen Alexandra Stakes.
