Royal Ascot: Memorable Royal Family Moments
There have been a number of memorable Royal Ascot moments over the years, with some including the Royal Family.
As one of the oldest race meetings in the sport of horse racing, Royal Ascot has had many memorable moments over the years that make the hairs on the back of the neck of every racing fan stand up.
Who could forget the 2009 edition of the Ascot Gold Cup, where Jockey Johnny Murtagh rode Yeats to a historic victory, beating Patkai and Geordieland in second and third place, respectively. It was a historic moment due to the fact that with this victory, Yeats became, and still is, the only horse to have won the Gold Cup at Ascot Racecourse four times. Yeats’ other triumphs in this race came in 2006, 2007, and 2008.
One other particularly memorable Royal Ascot moment came in the 2014 renewal of the St. James’s Palace Stakes. Kingman strode to an incredible victory, showing incredible pace to pass competitor after competitor before eventually leading the pack before going on to finish in first place. This is Kingman’s only victory in this race as of the time of writing.
As you have probably gathered from the title of this blog, some of the most memorable moments in the history of Royal Ascot have involved the Royal Family, who have visited this prestigious race meeting every year for decades.
Every Royal Ascot meeting starts with a Royal Procession, with the Royal Family travelling in horse drawn carriages at Ascot each year.
The following memorable moments that we mention are in no particular order.
Estimate wins Ascot Gold Cup (2013)
1959 saw the late Queen Elizabeth II make one of her early visits to Royal Ascot, with the event being
founded by another queen, Queen Anne, all the way back in 1711. The Queen is well known to have had a fondness for Royal Ascot and horse racing as a whole.
The 2013 edition of Royal Ascot brought great joy to her late majesty. It came during that year’s Gold Cup that saw Queen Elizabeth’s horse, Estimate, take part in the race meeting’s most prestigious race. Jockey Ryan Moore rode Estimate to victory ahead of the likes of Simenon and Top Trip, who had to settle for second and third place, respectively.
This win for the late Queen also made her the first reigning monarch to win at Royal Ascot.
Seat left free in Royal Procession (2022)
A particularly poignant moment took place in the Royal Procession at the 2022 renewal of Royal Ascot. There was a free seat in the carriage that held then Prince Charles, Camilla and Peter Phillips, the late Queen’s oldest grandchild.
This was, of course, due to her ailing health at the time. With a seat being left for her in her honour, this was a fantastic and poignant tribute to one of this country’s greatest servants.
King Charles III attends Royal Ascot for first time as monarch (2023)
We end on a memorable moment from the most recent Royal Ascot that took place back in 2023. It was the first time that the race meeting at Ascot Racecourse had taken place since Queen Elizabeth II passed away. This was King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s first Royal Ascot as the nation’s reigning monarchs.
This was also ten years on from the late Queen’s Estimate winning the 2013 Ascot Gold Cup. Courage Mon Ami was the winner of the 2023 and most recent Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, ridden by the legendary jockey Frankie Dettori.
Excitement and anticipation is growing rapidly ahead of Royal Ascot 2025 getting underway, where there will undoubtedly be a royal presence once again. The event takes place over 5 days, from Tuesday 17th June to Saturday 21st June 2025.
There is no better way to experience world-class horse racing at the 2025 Royal Ascot than with an Eventmasters VIP Hospitality Package. Book now to avoid disappointment!
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