Camilla's 2 Children Join Royal Ascot Royal Box as Charles Opens 5-Day Meet

Q: After a 50-1 outsider's shock win, can King Charles's horses deliver a sentimental victory for the Crown?

Yes — a sentimental royal win remains realistic, but it is far from assured. Royal Ascot has already shown how unpredictable this year’s meeting can be after 50-1 outsider Ten Bob Tony stunned the Queen Anne Stakes on opening day. That upset underlines that reputations and market expectations can quickly be overturned, which keeps the King’s hopes alive even if none of his runners are dominant favourites. The emotional stakes are clear. King Charles and Queen Camilla inherited Queen Elizabeth II’s racing and breeding tradition, and any success at Ascot carries extra resonance because of the late Queen’s long record at the meeting. Charles already had one notably sentimental success in 2023, when Desert Hero — bred by Queen Elizabeth II — won the King George V Stakes. This week, the Crown still has several chances. Reaching High was among the King’s opening-day entries but came in with mixed credentials after failing to win on turf and finishing only ninth in the Ascot Stakes in 2025. Better hopes may rest later in the meeting with Warrant Holder, viewed as one of the more competitive royal runners, and with Point Of Law, Golden Orbit and King’s Prize all still offering opportunities if they improve at the right moment. So the answer is that the possibility is genuine, especially in a meeting already shaped by a major shock result. But based on current form and available entries, a royal victory would still look more like a well-received success than an expected one.

3 articles · Updated · Town & Country · Jun 16

Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes made a rare public appearance with Queen Camilla at Royal Ascot, watching the opening-day races from the Royal Box.
Neither child joined the ceremonial carriage procession led by King Charles and Camilla; that role instead included Camilla's nephew Ben Elliot alongside other royals.
Parker Bowles has publicly stressed the distinction before, joking on a podcast this year that Britain would revolt if he suddenly became a prince.
The appearance added a family note to the first day of the 5-day Berkshire racing fixture, one of the royal calendar's biggest social events.