Princess Anne Royal Ascot 2026: Anne Joins Second Carriage
Princess Anne Royal Ascot 2026 opened with Anne in the Second Carriage of the Royal Procession on Day One, alongside Harriet Sperling and Peter Phillips. Sir Ben Elliot was also in the carriage, giving the royal parade a family-centered line-up from the start.
The appearance came on the same day Harriet Sperling and Peter Phillips made their Ascot debut as a married couple after their 6 June wedding at All Saints Church in Cirencester. For readers following the procession, the Second Carriage was the focal point because it placed Anne with her son, his wife and a close royal relative in the opening moments of the meeting.
Royal Procession at Ascot
King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were among the royals present on Day One of Royal Ascot 2026. Anne's place in the Second Carriage put her in one of the most visible parts of the day's ceremonial arrival, with Harriet Sperling and Peter Phillips sharing that space for the first time as a married couple.
Harriet Sperling's route into the royal circle has been gradual. She joined the King and Queen in the royal box at Ascot in 2024, and she also attended Prince William and the Princess of Wales' wedding to Peter Phillips on 6 June. Those earlier appearances made her presence in the Second Carriage a continuation of the same public setting rather than a new introduction.
Zara Tindall at Ascot
Zara Tindall attended Day One in a custom lilac outfit created by Rebecca Vallance, paired with a fascinator with fan-like detailing. Mike Tindall wore a pink tie and a blue waistcoat.
The outfit choice fits a pattern at Royal Ascot, where Zara Tindall has often turned to Rebecca Vallance for her looks. This year's appearance kept attention on the procession and the clothes at the same time: Anne in the Second Carriage, her family nearby, and another closely watched royal arrival on the course. Zara Tindall Royal Ascot 2026 ended Day One with a clear family presence in the procession and the stands.
