Lady Eliza Manners and Sabrina Percy lead the glamour at Royal Ascot
Blue-blooded beauties! Lady Eliza Manners, Sabrina Percy and the Queen’s distant cousin Lady Tatiana Mountbatten dazzle in glamorous dresses as socialites turn out in force at Royal Ascot
- Society beauties put their best fashion foot forward as they arrived on day four of Royal Ascot in Berkshire
- Among those in attendance include Lady Eliza Manners and The Queen’s cousin Lady Tatiana Mountbatten, 31
- 12,000 racegoers have been given tickets for each day of the five-day race meet as part of a pilot scheme
Royal Ascot is one of the most glamorous occasions in the British social calendar and a whole host of society beauties certainly did not disappoint as they turned out in force on day four of the racing festival today.
Lady Eliza Manners, 22, looked very much the lady in red as she swapped Grade I-listed Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire for the beautiful surrounds of the famous Berkshire racecourse.
The outing comes after the young socialite – who is the daughter of David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland, and his ex-wife Emma, Duchess of Rutland – kept a low profile at the 15,000 acre estate during lockdown, sharing snaps as she relaxed at home, rode horses through fields and enjoyed dinners and picnics with her family.
Eliza was also seen striking a pose next to Virginia Chadwyck-Healey, a former editor at British Vogue magazine, who was confirmed as Kate Middleton‘s new wardrobe adviser over in April 2019.
Virginia, known as Ginnie, who has been credited with imbuing the royal with a renewed sense of confidence in her sartorial choices, opted for a red and pink colour block ensemble and fancy fascinator as she kick-started the weekend with a day of fun-filled festivities.
Lady in red! Lady Eliza Manners put on a stylish display as she posed alongside Charles Barrons on day four of Ascot
The Queen’s cousin Lady Tatiana Mountbatten, 31, who lives in Chelsea, brightened up an otherwise dreary day in a bold pink dress as she posed for a snap next to Alick Dru
Sabrina Percy and Isabel Getty put their best fashion foot forward as they arrived at the racing festival today
Blue beauties! Charlotte Hawkins (pictured, left) and Martha Ward (right) cut stylish figures during Royal Ascot 2021
Elsewhere, the Queen’s cousin Lady Tatiana Mountbatten, 31, who lives in Chelsea and is the daughter of the 4th Marquess of Milford Haven and the 94-year-old monarch’s second cousin, was also in attendance.
The horse rider, who trained under Olympian Charlotte Dujardin, brightened up an otherwise dreary day in a bold pink dress as she posed alongside Alick Dru for a snap.
Meanwhile, model and illustrator Sabrina Percy, who donned an intricately detailed jumpsuit, struck a pose next to Isabel Getty – who is the great-granddaughter of American oil tycoon, Jean Paul Getty, granddaughter of the Duty Free billionaire Robert Miller and counts Princess Olympia of Greece as her cousin.
Unprepared for the wet weather, revellers were decked out in a sea of bright and pastel-coloured summer dresses in silks and chiffon. But many refused to let the rain dampen their spirits and were seen getting into the party spirit early, with glasses of Pimms and mini bottles of Moet Champage flowing.
Typically stylish Isabel Getty and Pia Getty donned oversized hats as they took to the stands at Royal Ascot today
Isabel Getty – who is the great-granddaughter of American oil tycoon, Jean Paul Getty, granddaughter of the Duty Free billionaire Robert Miller and counts Princess Olympia of Greece as her cousin – was also in attendance
Virginia Chadwyck-Healey (pictured, left) and Eliza Manners (right) opted for bright shades of pink and red as rain swept over the Berkshire racecourse
Lady Eliza Manners wore her brown hair loose and wavy and opted for a bright red dress which featured belt detail, cinching her in at the waist
Sabrina Percy put on a model display in a black jumpsuit complete with embroidered jacket and playing card-inspired clutch bag
Sabrina Percy and Deborah Bayne put their best fashion foot forward as they arrived at the racecourse for a day of fun-filled festivities
Monochrome magic! fashion influencer Stephanie Waxberg opted for a monochrome ensemble as she attended a fun afternoon of racing
Kat Farmer, the British stay-at-home mum behind the blog Does My Bum Look 40 In This, clashed a cheerful orange dress with an oversized red hat
While some were forward thinking enough to come armed with an umbrella, others opted for practicality over style, donning giant ponchos and wellies in a bid to keep dry.
Eventually the rain eased, but it left behind big puddles which proved a difficult obstacle for guests wearing heels – forcing their male companions to give them a helping hand.
Elaborate headwear was the order of the day for many, with oversized hats and flamboyant fascinators adorned with feathers, flowers and frills spotted in the enclosure.
In total, 12,000 revellers have been granted tickets to each day of Royal Ascot as part of a list of pilot events taking place before the possible lifting of all lockdown restrictions next month.
Ray of sunshine! Racegoers put their best fashion foot forward despite the rain as they turned out for Royal Ascot
Splash of colour: Women in yellow and floral dresses posed for photographs at Royal Ascot today
Cream of the crop! Victoria Walsh (left) and Paula McNeill (right) arrive at Royal Ascot for a day of fun despite the rain
Not raining on her parade! One reveller didn’t let the wet weather dampen her spirits as she arrived in a bright pink three-piece suit complete with flamboyant fascinator and matching brolly
Flamboyant fascinators took centrestage on day four of Royal Ascot, while some perfectly matched their umbrellas to their ensembles
It’s a washout! One female racegoer hoisted up her chiffon gown as she stepped over a puddle in her skyscraper heels on arrival on day four of the racing festival
Bright sparks: Despite the weather racegoers did not disappoint with their sartorial display of carnival brights – including this reveller who opted for a yellow two-piece suit
Stylish racegoers were all smiles as they took to the stands ahead of the first races this afternoon
On Monday Boris Johnson announced a four-week delay to ‘Freedom Day’ – but any disappointment looked far from the minds of racegoers as they kickstarted their weekend celebrations early.
Two world-class Group 1 races provide the highlights on the track for the fourth day of the racing festival with a supporting cast of three competitive handicaps and two more Group level contests.
Yesterday, Sophie Wessex jubilantly celebrated a win on the horses today as she joined fellow royals Princess Anne, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips at Royal Ascot Ladies Day.
Zara Tindall was also in attendance, accompanied by close pals Dolly Maude and Chanelle McCoy, as was her mother, the Princess Royal, 70, who looked radiant in yellow – but it remains to be seen who will attend today.
Brushing off the bad weather! The Tootsie Rollers arrived in vintage-inspired ensembles for day for of Royal Ascot today
Sarah Soulsby (left) and Nazer Bullen (right) from London were determined to bring a bit of summer spirit despite the raint weather, opting for bright ensembles on day four of Royal Ascot
Thinking ahead! One racegoer had clearly planned for a rainy day at the races, slipping into a waterproof mac and shoes
Bright and dandy! The dreary racecourse was a sea of brightly coloured umbrellas and outfits on day four of Royal Ascot
While some revellers decided to embrace the wet weather with bare arms, others came prepared in macs and umbrellas
The rain left behind big puddles which proved a difficult obstacle for stylish guests wearing skyscraper heels
Flower power! While women braved cream and white dresses, men looked dapper in top hats and tails
Connect the dots! One reveller who put pon a stylish display in a polka dot dress and striking red hat posed with her umbrella
This reveller came well-prepared as she opted for a practical pair of wellies for the occasion along with a rain mac
Elaborate headwear was the order of the day for many, with oversized hats and flamboyant fascinators adorned with feathers, flowers and frills spotted in the enclosure
Perfect pout! Revellers were all smiles as they kick-started their weekend early and captured memorable moments on their phones
Royal blue! One reveller ensured she matched the colour of her poncho to her accessories as she arrived on day four of Royal Ascot
No wet feet here! These racegoers were prepared for the wet and rainy weather conditions, opting for practical footwear
While some revellers opted for plunging necklines and open toe shoes, others embraced practical trainers for the rainy weather conditions
A sea of colour! This glamorous reveller made a cheerful entrance to the racecourse in a brightly coloured fascinator and fascinator
Singing in the rain! These patterned pals didn’t let the wet weather get them down as they took shelter under their umbrellas
Daring hemlines! Two women battled the elements as they arrived in chiffon dresses for a day of festivities as they kickstarted the weekend
Lady in red! One lady was spotted taking a big step over a puddle in open-toe heels as she kick-started the weekend early
Pretty in pastels! One optimistic racegoer donned a pale blue frock while a male reveller looked dapper in a top hat and tails
Looking all white! One racegoer braved the elements in heels and a white gown as she arrived at the Berkshire racecourse
Racegoers (pictured, left and right) smile and pose for photographs as they arrived for day four of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse
Cream dreaming: This elegant lady does her best to protect her pristine ivory outfit from the showers
On Wednesday, Sophie was joined by senior royals including Princess Anne, Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall and her husband Prince Edward.
One notable exception to the royal line-up was the Queen, 95, but Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were spotted taking a keen interest in the races as her horse King’s Lynn took part in the King’s Stand Stakes -finishing in seventh place.
The Queen missed Royal Ascot for only the second time in 69 years. Her Majesty’s racing manager confirmed the monarch would not be attending on Wednesday but is hoping to make it later in the week depending on ‘how things go’.
The Queen’s racing manager John Warren told Radio 4: ‘Obviously the Queen would love to attend, as you know she’s fanatic about racing, watching racing and breeding horses, and has been going to Ascot all of her adult life. So, it’s a shame to miss an event.
Hat’s the ticket! One Royal Ascot reveller went all out in an oversized hat on day four of the racing festival
Taking cover! Elaborate headwear was the order of the day for many female reveallers, while men looked dapper in top hats and tails
Charlotte Hawkins and Mark Heyes (left) shielded from the heavy rain under an umbrella during day four of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse
Royal blue! One prepared stylish reveller completed her white and navy ensemble with a glamorous umbrella
A right royal washout! But the rain did little to dampen spectators’ spirits, as jovial guests laughed off the downpours
A brolly good show! The Tootsie Rollers arrived in their vintage-inspired ensembles during day four of Royal Ascot
The Tootsie Rollers were all smiles despite the miserable weather conditions during day four of Royal Ascot
While some were forward thinking enough to come armed with an umbrella, others opted for practicality over style, donning giant ponchos and boots in a bid to keep dry
‘The plan at the moment is to see how it goes towards the latter part of the week and if the Queen’s able to come because she’s got runners, then, fingers crossed, it will happen.’
He added that the monarch was ‘fanatic’ about horse racing, and called her energy levels ‘incredible’ despite her age.
He said: ‘It’s remarkable. The Queen’s energy levels are incredible. She’s 95. She went down to the G7 this week, and trundled back on the train in the middle of the night and the energy will be raised higher again for a week like Ascot.’
However he said the experience would be different for the monarch, adding: ‘In the past, she would have gone and looked at horses in the paddock, even though they weren’t hers because she is so fascinated in the breed so she’d want go and look at the stallion prospects of the future.’
The weather may be miserable, but nothing dampened the atmosphere at
Two men looked smart in top hats and tails as they shared an umbrella on arrival at Berkshire racecourse
Glamorous in green! Many were forward thinking enough to come armed with an umbrella as rain swept across the Berkshire racecourse
Brollies at the ready! Staff members could be seen sheltering under umbrellas arriving at Royal Ascot today
Smartly dressed couples, who appeared to be headed for the Royal Enclosure, managed to keep smiling despite their formal outfits getting soaked
The area near the turnstiles was turned into a sea of umbrellas as thousands of rain-sodden guests began to arrive
The rain resulted in big puddles which proved a difficult obstacle for stylish guests wearing skyscraper heels
John continued: Every race that takes place every day of the week, the Queen will certainly read the Racing Post every morning, look at the breeding of all the winners the day before, and see that these stallions that she uses will be potential horses for her own mares.
‘It’s a deep fascination, a very broad escapism for all the other things that the Queen has to deal with in her life.’
The Queen has a number of runners at the Berkshire racecourse, with Mr Warren tipping Tactical in the Jersey Stakes on Saturday as a potential winner.
Last year – when Ascot was held behind closed doors – was the first time the Queen had missed it in her entire reign.
