The annual Royal Ascot horseracing event takes place each year at the world famous racecourse a short distance from Windsor Castle.
Queen Anne first started the tradition of racing horses at the site in 1711, declaring that it seemed a suitable place for "horses to gallop at full stretch." Since then, royals have been racing horses and watching as spectators at the site ever since.
Queen Elizabeth II famously loved Royal Ascot week, making it an annual fixture of her diary when she wasn't away on overseas tours. Each year the monarch would invite guests to stay at Windsor Castle and then to join her at the races which begin each day with a special carriage procession along the course made up of members of the royal family.
Last year marked the first year that Queen Elizabeth didn't attend the event since her coronation in 1953. The 96-year-old was suffering from "episodic mobility problems" at the time and instead watched from the comfort of Windsor Castle.
This year will mark King Charles III's first Royal Ascot as monarch. Here, Newsweek looks at how his daughters-in-law, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, have wowed fashion fans with their Ascot fashion choices over recent years.
Kate - Dolce & Gabbana, 2016
In 2016, Kate attended her first Royal Ascot as a member of the royal family, having married Prince William five years earlier in 2011.
The princess opted for a classic look in white lace, with a mid-length dress with lace overlay covering and a sweetheart neckline bodice, designed by Italian fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana.
Kate paired the look with nude accessories, including Gianvito Rossi high heeled pumps and a woven clutch bag by LK Bennett. The royal also wore a raffia woven style hat by Jane Taylor millinery.
Interviewed after Kate debuted her look, designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana told the Daily Telegraph: "We are big fan of the Duchess Kate. To us it's a great honor to see her wearing our clothes."
Kate - Alexander McQueen, 2017
For a second year in a row, Kate opted for an all white lace look when dressing for Royal Ascot in 2017.
This year she wore a knee-length lace overlay dress with a high neckline designed by the house responsible for her wedding dress, Alexander McQueen. Kate accessorized with nude accessories including a pair of suede Gianvito Rossi pumps and clutch bag from Loeffler Randall.
Meghan - Givenchy, 2018
For her first—and to date only—Royal Ascot appearance as a member of the royal family, Meghan Markle made a chic impression wearing a bespoke shirt dress designed by the creative mind behind her wedding dress that was debuted just a month earlier.
Meghan's Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy dress featured delicate applique details along the center front and was highlighted with a contrasting black belt featuring the house's Greek key style logo.
Meghan turned to the royal family's favorite milliner to create her the perfect hat to accompany the Givenchy ensemble, Philip Treacy, who designs a number of hats for Queen Camilla and Kate Middleton.
Kate - Elie Saab, 2019
In 2019, Kate veered away from her established Royal Ascot style staple of white lace and instead opted for a romantic blue design from the Lebanese fashion designer, Elie Saab.
The princess wore a blue mid-length dress with a fit-and-flare silhouette, featuring a sheer organza over-bodice and sleeves spotted with blue velvet and embellished with lace panels.
Kate revived the look in 2023 when she wore it to attend a special coronation garden party at Buckingham Palace.
Kate - Alessandra Rich, 2022
For the first post-COVID pandemic Royal Ascot festival where spectators were permitted freely to attend, Kate made a striking fashion choice, opting to wear a new favorite designer, Alessandra Rich.
Rich's designs are heavily influenced by classic silhouettes ranging from the 1950s to the 1980s and often feature a modern twist such as an unexpected asymmetric detail or risqué slit or cut-out.
For Ascot, Kate opted for a midi dress in white with chocolate brown polka dots and an asymmetric pleated detail. She paired the look with suede chocolate brown accessories and a statement hat by Sally-Ann Provan.
In a touching twist, the princess also wore a pair of diamond and pearl earrings that had formerly belonged to Princess Diana. The year 2022 marked the 25th anniversary of the princess' death in a 1997 Paris car crash.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
