Ascot Nothing Special For Queenie
One of the major events of the British social calendar, Royal Ascot, opened this week in Berkshire, six miles from Windsor Castle. England’s equivalent of the Kentucky Derby, this five-day “race meeting†draws more then 300,000 visitors each year—most notably, the Queen of England and other members of the royal family, who arrive in horse-drawn carriages. (Her Majesty, who enjoys wagering on the races, entered a record six horses this year.) The horses may technically be the draw, but each year it’s the sensational outfits and “formal day dress†that everyone remembers. (No short skirts and bare shoulders here, please.) Of course, the queen dresses in too-bright colors and Mad Hatter hats almost every day of the year, so for her Royal Ascot is just another day at the races.
