Royal commentator reveals details of Queen’s meeting with Biden

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Queen Elizabeth II, 95, is a horse-racing aficionado and Royal Ascot is said to be her favourite week of the year. The five-day event kicks off tomorrow and while it hasn’t been confirmed if the Queen will attend, she seems likely to do so given that she is based just down the road at Windsor Castle and has horses running there every day.

The Queen is one of the UK’s most prominent thoroughbred breeders and owners and takes a keen interest in the sport.

The pandemic meant the event was held behind closed doors last year and the Queen was unable to attend for the first time in her reign.

This year, the relaxation of lockdown restrictions means 12,000 visitors can attend every day and given her passion for the event, the Queen is likely to be among them.

While she usually arrives at the racecourse by horse-drawn carriage from Windsor Castle, the royal procession will not take place this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The Queen usually travels alongside her guests for each day which often includes Royal Family members but this year the traditional reunion is not expected to happen.

Instead, if the Queen does choose to attend Royal Ascot she is likely to be accompanied by her racing manager John Warren who is in charge of all the horses she has running this coming week.

Looking ahead to Royal Ascot’s return and the Queen’s potential presence at the event, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said: “After there were no spectators last year owing to COVID-19, this year’s Royal Meeting will be going ahead as part of the Government’s Events Research Programme so 12,000 people are allowed each day but tests have to be taken before admission.

He added:  “The numbers allowed will be limited with only parts open including the Royal Enclosure.”

“It has not been announced if the Queen will attend Royal Ascot this year, though it has been reported that she may attend on a day she has a horse running.”

Touching on the event’s royal roots, Mr Fitzwilliams added: “In 2011 Royal Ascot celebrated its tercentenary since it was founded by Queen Anne, who also raced at York, in 1711.

“The colourful royal carriage procession was added in 1825 by George IV and was an annual event since 1920 as its prestige grew but it will not happen this year owing to the pandemic.”

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The commentator added: “Royal Ascot is a fabulous fashion parade with Gold Cup Day or ‘Ladies Day’, dating from 1807 as its centre.”

Mr Fitzwilliams said: “It was immortalized on stage and screen in My Fair Lady and also featured in Arabesque, the Yellow Rolls Royce and A View to a Kill. One of its enduring strengths is that it has successfully adapted to changing times whilst keeping up standards with morning dress and uniform being required for men. Cravats are banned.

“In recent years mobiles and cameras have also been allowed into the Royal Enclosure, photography was banned in 1920 by George V.”

Among the Queen’s horses running this year are King’s Lynn, a four-year-old gelding, and her big hope, Tactical, a three-year-old colt who gave the Queen her first winner at Royal Ascot since 2016 last year.

Mr Warren spoke of the Queen’s delight after having a winner with tactical at Royal Ascot last year.

The racing manager told the Guardian at the time: “It’s obviously a great shame that her Majesty’s not there to be able to go down and enjoy the whole buzz of her runners.”

The racing manager added: “But she’s studied every bit of it today, watching the races, and the last two days, she’s been able to spend a bit of time watching the most important races, so this was the icing on the cake to actually have a winner.

“Every day of her life, she follows racing one way or another when she can, so she would have read the Racing Post in great detail and built up to this week, and known very well the important fancied horses.”

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