Video: The most stylish and elite sports experience: the Royal Ascot
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Traditionally, the main races in the UK take place in early summer. Over the centuries of its existence, this annual event has become not only a sporting event, but also an important holiday. The British love this elite entertainment, and Queen Elizabeth II herself is its main fan. The opportunity to see monarchs, indulge in excitement, as well as demonstrate their taste, attracts many people in the vicinity of the town of Ascot.
The tradition of organizing elite competitions in Ascot is over 300 years old. Although for England - the country of traditions - this is not the limit. Horse racing in Chester, for example, is even older, but, of course, only Ascot is causing such a stir. After all, these races were immediately under the special royal patronage. Even the exact date of the beginning of this story is known. According to the official version, in 1711, Queen Anne Stewart, while riding a horse ride through Windsor Forest, about 40 kilometers from London, noticed an excellent place suitable for equestrian competitions. The small village of Ascot, located nearby, gave the name to the new hippodrome. By August 11, horse races had already been organized on the former wasteland, and the first race was held, in which seven riders participated.
After the death of the patron queen, however, the royal family forgot about horse racing for several decades, but later another august horse lover, William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, built a wonderful stud farm here. It was he who owned the horse Eclipse, which is still considered a legendary winner all over the world: this horse has not suffered a single defeat in 23 years of participation in races. Under Queen Victoria, horse racing became one of the main events of the year and acquired the unforgettable royal splendor that makes it so different from any other event. Elizabeth II is a well-known lover of this entertainment. She is known to have never missed any of the Ascot races and has had her own racers since the 1960s. By the way, the queen always bets on her horses and most often turns out to be in the black. Over the past 30 years, according to experts, she has won about 7 million pounds.
However, horse racing and excitement are only half of the entertainment at the royal horse races. The entire elite of the English nobility and ordinary people come here to "see others and show themselves." The main pleasure is, of course, the private fashion show. A strict dress code obliges women at Royal Ascot to wear hats, and there are competitions in fashion that are far more important than the races themselves. The British like to joke that "if all the horses suddenly disappear from the racetrack, no one will notice."
Traditionally, the main summer races in Ascot lasted 4 days. Several years ago, Elizabeth, in honor of the 50th anniversary of her reign, extended the holiday for another day, to which everyone was incredibly happy. It is customary for ladies to have different hats for every day. The main day of the competition is Thursday (Ladies Day). At this time, the most prestigious cup, the Golden Cup, is played and at the same time the winner in the hat competition is announced among the ladies. By the way, the Queen herself awards and presents the prize. In this case, not only the headdress itself is evaluated, but also the image created and embodied by the woman. Therefore, in recent years, royal races are increasingly reminiscent of a very extravagant fashion show. In an effort to stand out, ladies transform their outfits into something unimaginable.
Of course, the queen herself also flaunts amazingly stylish outfits at this important event. By the way, in bookmakers, you can bet on the color of Elizabeth II's hat. They are accepted until 13:50, because at exactly 14:00 the royal family in the open landau enters the hippodrome. They have been following this tradition since 1825. The entire "elite" by this time, of course, is already assembled. Interestingly, most people traditionally arrive in Ascot ahead of time by train. This is also part of a kind of ritual - until 1912 it was impossible to get to Ascot by car, so all the nobility had to go by rail. This also has its advantages: only light drinks are allowed at the races (usually champagne), but you can start drinking it ahead of time, in the train carriage. It is customary to bring picnic baskets to Ascot, although there are plenty of bars and restaurants on the territory.
All arriving public at the entrance are very strictly evaluated by special dress assistants. The rules are very clearly defined: dresses are no higher than the knee, no neckline and bare shoulders, open shoes are prohibited for men, and high heels are not recommended for women. Ladies can enter the Royal Lodge and Queen Anne's Lodge only in a hat, and men in a top hat. In recent years, the rules have somewhat softened, now ladies can come here in trousers, and gentlemen in dresses (tolerance for the British, it seems, is not an empty phrase). However, if you accidentally make a mistake with the choice of a toilet, nothing bad will happen, assistants will take you to special boutiques, where you can buy or rent missing items of clothing or accessories. By the way, national dress is an exception to the rule.
Another important event with the participation of the royal family is the Royal Regatta, for which Elizabeth II herself is stocking up on a new hat
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