Royal Ascot

Charter a Private Jet to the Royal Ascot

Fans of thoroughbred racing see the Royal Ascot as the place to see the world’s finest horses compete for almost $10 million in prize money. Among those fans is Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, a dedicated racehorse owner herself who has attended every race since the beginning of her reign in 1952. The grace and elegance that surrounds Her Majesty sets the tone for spectacle and style surrounding the five-day event.

We Can Get You There

If you plan to be among the 300,000 people who make the trip to Berkshire to watch in person the Royal Procession that marks the start of every race day during Royal Ascot Week, Paramount Business Jets can get you there in style by arranging a charter flight for you into any nearby airport, including:

• Fairoaks, EGTF, Chobham, United Kingdom (7 miles)
• Blackbushe Airport, EGLK, BBS, Blackbushe, United Kingdom (9 miles)
• Farnborough Airport, EGLF, FAB, Farnborough, United Kingdom (10 miles)
• Heathrow, EGLL, LHR, London, United Kingdom (11 miles)
• Denham, EGLD, Denham, United Kingdom (14 miles)
• Northolt Airport, EGWU, NHT, Northolt, United Kingdom (15 miles)
• Odiham Airport, EGVO, ODH, Farnborough, United Kingdom (17 miles)
• Lasham Airport, EGHL, QLA, Lasham, United Kingdom (22 miles)
• London Heliport, EGLW, London, United Kingdom (22 miles)
• Benson Airport, EGUB, BEX, Benson, United Kingdom (23 miles)

The Race

While most people have seen clips of the famous race, nothing compares to seeing it in person – and catching a glimpse of the royal family. The Royal Ascot was founded by Queen Anne in 1711 and is attended annually by Elizabeth II and other members of British royalty. The royal family arrives each day in a horse-drawn carriage. There is often more press coverage of the royals and the fashions at the race than the race itself.

There are three enclosures in which guests can watch the race.

The Royal Enclosure is the most prestigious and was frequently visited by the Queen and her family. Access is tightly restricted with high security. You have to apply for a ticket and be invited by someone who has attended for at least four years. You can see what it looks like to sit in the Royal Enclosure here.

The Royal Ascot is known for one more lavish experience: fine dining. There are 12 restaurants in the Royal and Queen Anne enclosures where, starting at about $355, guests can get eat like the royals.

Day By Day

Day 1: Opening day of Royal Ascot Week is considered by many to be the best day of flat racing in the UK. There are three Group 1 races:

• The Queen Anne Stakes is named after the founder of the Royal Ascot. It is a 1-mile race for thoroughbreds four years and over. Being the first race of the event makes it popular to bettors.
• The first British leg of the 10-leg Global Sprint Challenge.
• The St. James’s Palace Stakes is named after a royal residence in the Tudor period. First run in 1834, it is a Group 1 race for 3-year-old colts, featuring horses who have run in the English, French and Irish 2,000 Guineas.

Day 2: Relax after the frenzy of Day 1 with a smaller crowd and watch the day’s highlighted race, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, which dates back to 1862. It is a 1-mile, 2-furlong Group 1 race open to thoroughbreds four years and older. Its $750,000 purse is the richest of all Royal Ascot races.

Day 3: After a relaxing Day 2, comes the busiest day of the week: Ladies Day and the Ascot Gold Cup, the feature race of the week. Its 2-mile, 4-furlong distance is the longest of the Royal Ascot and a test of each horse’s stamina. It’s also the day that designer hats and dresses take center stage – and a great day for people watching.

Day 4: The featured race of the day is the Group 1 Coronation Stakes. The inaugural race was run in 1840 to commemorate the crowning of Queen Victoria two years earlier. It is open to 3-year-old fillies.

Day 5: The week wraps up with:

• The Diamond Jubilee Stakes, a Group 1 6-furlong race originally called the Golden Jubilee Stake, was renamed in 2012 in honor of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
• The Wokingham Stakes, a 6-furlong handicap sprint with as many as 30 horses, is the most bet-on of the 30 races in the Royal Ascot.

Fashion – And The Dress Code

The Royal Ascot is the place to see and be seen – as long as you abide by the dress code meant to maintain the elegance of the race. Besides the finest of hats, here is what race guests are expected to wear:

In the Royal Enclosure

The Royal Enclosure was once reserved for members of the royal family but is now open to the public – by invitation only – making it the most prestigious of the seating areas. Tickets, if you can get invited, are about $200 a day. To maintain its lofty reputation, here are the dress codes:

WOMEN

• Dresses and skirts of modest length – defined as falling just above the knee or longer.
• Dresses and tops must have straps one inch or greater wide.
• Jackets and pashminas may be worn but dresses and tops underneath should still comply with the Royal Enclosure dress code.
• Trouser suits are welcome. They should be of full length and of matching material and color.
• Hats should be worn; however a headpiece which has a solid base of 4 inches or more in diameter is acceptable as an alternative to a hat.
• Strapless, off the shoulder, halter neck and spaghetti straps are not permitted.
• Midriffs must be covered.
• Fascinators are not permitted; neither are headpieces which do not have a solid base covering a sufficient area of the head (4 inches).

MEN

• Black or grey morning dress is required. It must include:
• A waistcoat and tie.
• A black or grey top hat.

Men may remove their top hats in a restaurant, a private box, a private club or that facility’s terrace, balcony, or garden. Hats may also be removed within any enclosed external seating area within the Royal Enclosure Garden.

Top hats cannot be customized with things such as colored ribbons or bands.

• Plain black shoes.

In the Queen Anne Enclosure

On the lawns and terraces, you can get great views of the days’ events including the daily Royal Procession.

Guests are welcome to follow the Royal Enclosure dress code or can dress down a bit with these rules:

WOMEN

Dress in a manner befitting a formal occasion:

• A hat, headpiece, or fascinator should be worn at all times.
• Strapless or sheer strap dresses and tops are not permitted.
• Trousers must be full length and worn with a top that adheres to the guidelines above.
• Midriffs must be covered.
• Shorts are not permitted.

MEN

Gentlemen are required to wear a matching suit with a shirt and tie.

In the Windsor Enclosure

The first enclosure the horses pass, the Windsor, is where the roar of the crowd begins. There is no formal dress code here, although guests are encouraged to wear “smart clothes” and no replica sports shirts.

And, in general

• Girls (aged 10-17) should dress in accordance with the women’s dress code. However, they may wear a headpiece or fascinator as an alternative to a hat, without any size restriction.
• Boys (aged 10-17) should either dress in accordance with the gentlemen’s dress code or wear a dark-colored suit with a shirt.
• Overseas visitors are welcome to wear the formal national dress of their country.
• Serving military personnel are welcome to wear service dress.