Horsemen without a head: what is racing at Ascot and who needs them today

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The Royal Ascot races in the county of Berkshire went beyond purely sports competitions in the century before last. And in our time, in early June, in the vicinity of Windsor Castle, in the salons where you can rent hats, they post ads: “No hats!” And the Internet is full of instructions on how to make a hat for this event.

Now Ascot is horse racing, and horse racing is Ascot, but it wasn’t always like that. Ascot Racecourse itself, the most famous in Britain, was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne, the last of the Stuart dynasty. One day, driving out of Windsor Castle, she stumbled upon an open lawn that, in her words, looked “perfect for galloping horses.” The new race was announced in the local London Gazette on 12 July 1711.

The first four-day Royal Races were held at Ascot in 1768, although they did not acquire their current form until the appearance of the Monarch’s gold cup in 1807. In 1825, George IV introduced the custom of traveling by members of the royal family in open carriages along the “straight mile” to their box to the sound of an anthem. Now, thanks to him, standing at the side of the road to the hippodrome at 14:00, you can see the style and color of the headdresses of the British nobility. True, in our time, when the children and grandchildren of Her Majesty are scattered throughout the country, this tradition has somewhat changed: they arrive at the castle in cars, transfer to carriages, and then already follow to Ascot. This is where each of the five days of racing begins.

Yes, yes, in 2002, Elizabeth II made herself and her subjects a gift for the 50th anniversary of her reign and extended the four-day holiday for another day. True, this time the monarch, who has not missed a single competition since 1945, is absent due to health problems. In the first two days, she was represented by the heir to the throne, Prince Charles, with his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and on Thursday, Princess Anne’s carriage, which also included her husband Sir Tim Lawrence, daughter Zara and son-in-law Mike Tindall, was the first to pass.

Horse racing is one of the oldest sports in Britain, the second most attended after football. According to media reports, the competitions are held at 59 hippodromes of the country and annually bring more than four million pounds to the treasury. And Royal Ascot is the most important race in the UK, which attracts about 300 thousand spectators. Approximately 500 of the best racehorses from around the world are brought to Berkshire in June to compete for millions of pounds in prize money. Eighteen group races, eight of which are in Group 1, are broadcast live in 200 countries. By the start of the Royal Races, the hippodrome temporarily increases the number of employees – by more than 6,500, pieces of furniture – by 33,500, and flowers and shrubs grown especially for the Royal Assembly – by 20,000. Each year, 56,000 bottles of champagne and 44 000 bottles of wine and eat about 240,000 cakes, 60,000 sandwiches and 8,000 Cornish crabs.

There are four lodges in Royal Ascot, three of which are open to the general public. The most prestigious, of course, is the royal box, but access to it is strictly limited, and it is impossible to buy a ticket. Applicants applying for the first time to visit must secure a referral from someone who has been admitted to the Royal Lodge for at least four years. Regular guests receive an annual invitation from the monarch’s representative to apply for badges, which are handwritten and may only be worn by the designated person. Their colors change depending on the day of the race. The Royal Lodge has the strictest dress code, with men wearing gray, navy or black suits and top hats, while women wear formal casual wear and a hard-bottomed hat 10 centimeters or more in diameter. Remember racing scene from the famous movie “My Fair Lady” directed by George Cukor with Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison?

The website of the Royal Hatting Society lists specific requirements for the appearance of visitors:

Dresses and skirts must be of modest length, belly must be covered, dresses and tops with strapless or transparent straps are not allowed.

In 2018, gender politics got here too: gentlemen were allowed to appear in the royal box in a dress, and women were finally given the right to wear trousers. Fortunately, the queen will not see this.

The Queen Anne Lodge is the main social platform of Royal Ascot, where visitors have access to the stands and lawns. The dress code is slightly less formal than at the Royal Lodge, but hats for women and ankle socks for men are required. Windsor Lodge, on the other hand, has a relaxed atmosphere without a formal dress code. But her guests are the first to see the passage of the royal carriages. And finally, the fourth box – Zagorodnaya – was organized in 2017 for those who cannot afford to go to the races, but want to put on a hat and feel the atmosphere of Royal Ascot. This is an outdoor area overlooking the Ascot stands where you can eat and enjoy live music. But you can’t get to the stands from it – you can watch the races only on huge screens. It is open only in the last days of the races, but they are the most important from the point of view of secular communication.

So, on Thursday, the oldest and most prestigious race of contenders for the gold cup takes place. The track, over two and a half miles long, makes it the toughest challenge for even the most elite racehorses. Not surprisingly, the prize was always awarded to the winners by monarchs. On the same day, high fashion and, of course, hats come to the fore. No wonder Thursday at Royal Ascot is called “Women’s Day”. Ladies compete in the extravagance of hats, and the queen herself always chose the winner. Alas, this time Her Majesty did not even come to cheer on the horses from her stable. And bets on the color of the monarch’s hat on Women’s Day at Ascot are no longer accepted.