I Attended Royal Ascot for the First Time—Here's What It's Really Like

The hats, the royals, and of course, the horses…Royal Ascot is one of the most anticipated weeks of the year for both racing and royal fans alike. Like the Kentucky Derby, the crown of the British horse racing season is as much a social occasion as it is a sporting event (and I would argue it’s more the former than the latter for many guests). But whether you’re there for the fashion, the betting, or to bump into the Royal Family—as one of my friends quite literally did with Zara Tindall on the way to the bathroom—it’s an experience that simply can’t be replicated anywhere else.

Events like royal weddings and the coronation have always taken precedence for my work-related trips, so despite having covered the Royal Family for seven years, I’d never had the opportunity to attend Royal Ascot until now. After two days and two very different experiences, I can safely say that I’ve caught the Ascot bug, and I might already be plotting next year’s adventure.

Ahead, find my ultimate guide to Royal Ascot.

Royal Associations

The history of Ascot racecourse dates back to 1711, when Queen Anne discovered the ideal space for "horses to gallop at full stretch." Through the centuries, everyone from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth enjoyed the racing action at Royal Ascot, and The King and Queen Camilla continue that tradition today. Guests can enjoy watching the Royal Family arrive in a special carriage procession, with each day featuring a different lineup of royals.

My top tip if you want the best view is to arrive well ahead of the 2 p.m. procession; Plenty of people (including yours truly) had snagged front-row spots in the Queen Anne enclosure parade ring by noon. My Royal Enclosure day was much more relaxed, and we left our car park picnic to watch The King and Queen parade by just a few minutes ahead of time, albeit from a distance.

While the Prince and Princess of Wales aren’t the biggest racing fans—and Kate unfortunately had to miss out on Royal Ascot this year—Olympic equestrians Princess Anne and her daughter, Zara Tindall, more than make up for it. King Charles, Queen Camilla, Princesss Anne, Zara and Mike Tindall, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Sarah Ferguson, Peter Phillips (and his new girlfriend, Harriet Sperling), all made appearances on the days I attended.

The Enclosures

The beauty of Royal Ascot is you can do it as splashy or as laid-back as you want. Tickets are available in four different viewing areas, known as enclosures, ranging from £25 (roughly $35) for the Windsor Enclosure (where you can bring your own picnic) to just over $100 for the Queen Anne Enclosure, the premiere public space at the racecourse. In between, there’s the Village Enclosure, which features a stage with live bands and a festival-like atmosphere.

Of course, there’s also the Royal Enclosure, the most prestigious ticket at Royal Ascot. This enclosure dates back to 1807 when King George III reserved an area for his family and friends, and today serves as a members-only area at the racecourse. If you’re not a member, you must be invited by a guest—and if you follow some popular U.K. influencers and celebrities, they’ve most likely been invited by a brand. As for the Royal Family themselves, they have their own royal box which is a separate part of the enclosure—although you can see them taking in the races from their balcony, which is always entertaining.

I experienced the Queen Anne Enclosure with friends on day one, and the Royal Enclosure as the guest of my friend Catkin and her family on day four, and it was eye-opening to experience the differences. As my horse trainer told me after seeing the videos I took in the Royal Enclosure, "It’s like a scene out of a Masterpiece Theatre series." There just isn't an equivalent to compare it to in the United States, but expect an elegant garden area, plenty of champagne and over-the-top tailgating before and after the races (more on that later).

Many of the guests in the Queen Anne crowd were just as well-dressed, but it's a smaller area, and the options for dining (and sitting down) are much more limited. I spent a lot of time standing in the sun on one of the hottest days of the year, and if you want to sit, be prepared to fight for a chair. However, if you love horses like I do, you'll still have plenty of access to the parade ring and a great view of the races.

Dress Code

Like most things at Royal Ascot, what to wear depends on the enclosure you’re in, with dress codes ranging from fairly nonexistent (Windsor) to top hat required (Royal Enclosure). In general, ladies are expected to wear a dress or trouser suit with a hat or fascinator, while men wear suits of varying formality. In the Queen Anne Enclosure, I saw much more flamboyant hats and fashion, but there were also more influencer types trying to get noticed in the media.

Designer Lalage Beaumont, who kindly dressed me for both days of Ascot this year, primed me about the specific dress requirements for the Royal Enclosure ahead of the race day. Women, for example, need to wear a hat with a “base of at least 10 centimeters, which is four inches,” Beaumont noted—and fortunately, I’m more of a go big or go home kind of girl when it comes to headwear.

Surprisingly, when it comes to shoes, "there are no rules," Beaumont said. "There’s actually nothing saying you can’t wear trainers, but I've certainly never seen that," she added. Sleeveless dress may be worn, but the straps must be at least an inch thick, and I spotted actual "dress code assistants" situated at the entrances to the Royal Enclosure to make sure guests comply.

What to Wear

Once you've navigated the dress code, the options are endless. A cute white sundress (see Princess Eugenie's recent look) would be absolutely fine in the Windsor or Village Enclosures, but a trip to the Royal Enclosure requires something more elegant.

I spotted plenty of royally approved designs from labels like Beulah, Alessandra Rich, Zimmerman and Self-Portrait throughout both of my days at Royal Ascot, with butter yellow and polka dots reigning supreme. In fact, there were actually so many women wearing white dresses with black polka dots that my friend Lauren was approached to be on an ITV segment about it (and looked amazing).

However, you don't need to spend loads of money for your Ascot look. I saw just as many women in beautiful dresses from high street brands like L.K. Bennett and Hobbs—and a few mentioned snagging their outfits and hats from Amazon. While I wore two Lalage Beaumont hats this year, when I attended the Epsom Derby in 2022 I rented a hat from Hectic Hat Hire in London, a smart choice if you want to avoid flying with a delicate headpiece.

Car Park Picnics

One thing I didn't realize about the Ascot experience until my day in the Royal Enclosure was the importance of the pre-party (and afterparty). Americans would call it tailgating, but the English call it a car park picnic, and people put a lot of effort until creating elaborate setups with tablecloths, candles and flowers.

Car Park One is the most coveted of all the parking lots, and as one guest explained to me, you have to actually inherit a spot. Queen Camilla's ex-husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, happened to own a nearby parking space (although he wasn't there that day), so you never know who you'll run into. People head back to their lots after the races for more food and drinks—and stay hours after the official event is over.

It makes for a much more relaxing experience when you have a home base to go back to, much different from my day in Queen Anne trying for ages to find a stall that sold food...and eating it on a concrete step.

Where to Stay How to Get There

Nearby Coworth Park (a favorite of Prince Harry’s) can’t be beat when it comes to a luxurious Ascot stay. I enjoyed afternoon tea there after watching the Royal Family start their carriage procession in Windsor Great Park, and I can confidently say it's the best tea service I've ever had (and that is high praise indeed). The stunning grounds—which include two professional polo fields and a reimagined spa—feature 240 acres of wildflower fields, streams and picturesque countryside.

Windsor is just about a 20 minute drive away (allow an hour in the morning for traffic, though) and I stayed at the lovely Castle Hotel, located right on the High Street across from Windsor Castle. If you're staying in London, it's an easy train ride from Waterloo—and quite the entertaining one for people watching on the way home after a day of champagne, as I learned taking the train back to Windsor on day one.

Getting an Uber at the end of the day is a little trickier and equivalent to being at the Eras Tour—book ahead for a set time or else take the train back if you don't have a friend to drive you home.