King Charles and Camilla Lead Royal Ascot Today Opening-Day Procession

Royal ascot today opened at Ascot Racecourse on Tuesday, June 16, with King Charles and Queen Camilla leading the opening-day Royal Procession. The five-day meeting now runs through Saturday, June 20, with 35 races and a record £19.4 million prize pot.

Ascot Racecourse opens in June

Charles and Camilla set the tone for the first day, with Princess Anne, Peter Phillips, Harriet Sperling, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall also attending. Kate Middleton did not attend the first day.

Five days, 35 races

The scale of this year’s meeting is fixed by the numbers: 35 races, eight premier Group 1 contests and the highest prize pot in the event’s history. That combination keeps the focus on the racecard as much as the procession, because the opening day only starts a program that will keep building through Saturday.

For anyone following the meeting, the useful details are already clear. Royal Ascot 2026 has begun, the royal procession has taken place, and the field of attendees on day one includes several senior royals and familiar racing names while one of the day’s most visible absences was Kate Middleton.