Royal Ascot: The Day Itself

We got lucky with the weather both years — properly hot, occasionally a little too hot for the suit-and-fascinator combination, but that’s a reasonable price for actual sunshine at an outdoor event in England.

The Royal Procession

The Royal Procession is the centrepiece of the afternoon. The crowd lines the course, the carriages come through — King Charles and members of the Royal Family, flanked by outriders — and everyone sings the national anthem as they pass. Whatever you think of racing as a sport, it’s one of those moments that’s hard to be entirely unmoved by. Genuinely theatrical in the best British way.

Food and Drink

Food in the Village Enclosure came from a handful of traders — pizza, burgers, that sort of thing. Prices were a notch above the street but not unreasonable for a big event. Drinks ran to Italian beer, Pimm’s, gin and tonic, and a fruity cider. No craft beer to speak of, so Ian switched to Pimm’s and joined the rest of us. He was suspicious of it at first. By mid-afternoon he was fine.

The Racing and the Betting Slips

The racing itself: horses with names too whimsical to take entirely seriously, the crowd shouting down the home straight, and genuine joy — and occasional devastation — from whoever had backed the winner. Even with no understanding of the sport, it’s hard not to get swept up in it.

We placed a few betting slips across the afternoon — around £5 a go, three or four times, chosen almost entirely on the strength of the horse’s name. We don’t gamble otherwise — no slots, no online betting — but the slips felt like part of the day rather than actual gambling. No wins, obviously, but that was never really the point.

The Hottest Tent in Berkshire

Between races we’d grab more food and drinks, then drift toward the small tent where an English band played popular chart music to a crowd that had clearly decided the horses were someone else’s concern. People were dancing on chairs and tables. It was, without question, the hottest tent in Berkshire. We joined in.

A Word on the Facilities

One thing worth mentioning: the toilets. In 2022, the queues were long and persistent — the kind that make you reconsider a second Pimm’s. By 2025, someone had clearly fixed this. Almost no queue. Enough facilities for everyone. And when we got there, they were the poshest outside toilets either of us has ever seen. Whoever the event manager is, they deserve an award.

The Evening

After the final race and prize-giving, the big main stage took over with the headline act — American country music, which Royal Ascot has embraced enthusiastically in recent years. In 2022, when a band played popular hits, the whole crowd sang along and we danced on what was left of the grass — not much, by that point. In 2025 – American country music isn’t really our thing, but the atmosphere carried it regardless.

By the end of the evening, all that careful dressing had quietly come undone. Hats and headpieces had migrated from heads to handbags. People were sitting on the grass. Stray shoes were scattered across the field in numbers that seemed impossible for one afternoon. Plastic cups and empty Pimm’s jugs everywhere. Somewhere between the dress code anxiety at the start and that final scene, Royal Ascot had turned into something much closer to a very well-dressed festival.

We’d go back. Village Enclosure, obviously — we know our limits when it comes to top hats.

Practical Information

Royal Ascot Racecourse
High Street, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7JX
Official site: ascot.co.uk

Village Enclosure dress code: Suit and tie for men. Women: smart dress or skirt/trouser suit, hat or fascinator required, heels recommended. Rules are enforced at the gate but interpreted with common sense in practice.

Also in this series: getting ready for Royal Ascot — tickets, dress code and transport — and a first-timer’s honest verdict from Dylan, who had no strong feelings about horses going in.

Coming soon from The Taps: After a long day at the races, Windsor has some excellent craft beer waiting. Ian’s guide to the best craft beer spots in Windsor is on its way.