In Pictures: Hats steal the show at the Royal Ascot racecourse in Britain

Updated
Jun 21, 2017, 02:33 PM
Published
Jun 21, 2017, 02:29 PM
The Royal Ascot, the most famous horse racing festival in the world, kicked off on Tuesday (June 20) and, with it, out came the hats, which are de rigueur at the event. For the first time in its history, organisers did not enforce the dress code, letting racegoers remove jackets due to "very hot conditions". REUTERS
Thousands flocked to the racecourse in their finest outfits on what turned out to be a very warm and sunny day, with crystal clear, blue skies from start to finish. REUTERS
On average, 300,000 people, adhering to a dress code more strict than anything ever enforced by a nun, attend the meet and consume 51,000 bottles of champagne and 160,000 glasses of Pimm’s, says a New York Times report. REUTERS
At the race, men in the Royal Enclosure are required to wear formal morning dress, which must include a waistcoat and a tie, a black or grey top hat and black shoes. Women must wear dresses or skirts that fall at least just above the knee, and they will be pulled aside if their dresses are deemed too short. REUTERS
Other dress rules stipulate that the shoulder straps of all tops must be one inch wide or greater, midriffs must be covered and hats are required. All headpieces must have a base of four inches or more. Trouser suits adhering to these principles are allowed. Jackets and pashminas are also permitted, but the shoulder-strap rules still apply even if they are covered by such garments, reported the New York Times. REUTERS
Apart from the glamorous hats and outfits, Ascot attracts many of the worlds best racehorses, who will compete for more than £6.5 million (S$11 million) in prize money. REUTERS
Queen Anne is credited with seeing the potential for a racecourse at Ascot in 1711, but the exact start date of Royal Ascot is not clear. The first four-day meeting took place in 1768, and the Gold Cup was established in 1807, according to the New York Times. The Gold Cup, which is still run to this day, is Ascot’s oldest race. EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY
Royal Ascot is high season for British hat designers. Clients who want unique, more intricate, tailored hats may opt to buy but this can be a hefty investment. Couture hats start selling at £750 (S$1,315), and go up to £4,000. People start booking appointments as early as January when Royal Ascot's ticket office opens. However, for those unwilling to pay such amounts, renting is the way to go. EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined the Queen and Prince Philip for the first day of Royal Ascot on Tuesday (June 20). REUTERS
Queen Elizabeth II, who has attended every Royal Meeting during her reign, this year led racegoers and her family in observing a minute's silence in memory of the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire and the London and Manchester terror attacks. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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