For an American, Royal Ascot is like the Kentucky Derby. It’s a bucket-list kind of event. In 2016, I planned my month-long trip to London so that I would be there for Royal Ascot!
The Ascot racecourse is just outside Windsor (as in Windsor Castle). Getting to Windsor is an easy Tube/Train trip from London. But since I was worried about how I’d get to the racecourse once I got off the train, I chose to book a tour from PP Travel which included a coach ride from Victoria Tube station complete with champagne, a tent with some picnic food (sausage rolls, sandwiches and cookies/biscuits).
There are a variety of different types of tickets from what Americans could call “lawn seats” to the super-prestigious Royal Enclosure where you might bump into Kate and Will. But since my invite to the Royal enclosure must have been lost in the mail (LOL!), I splurged on the Queen Anne Enclosure. This ticket includes a dress code which requires that ladies wear a hat and men wear a matching suit and tie.
Fashion is a HUGE part of Royal Ascot especially if you’re a royal, socialite or celebrity. The daily newspapers and gossip mags dedicate pages of advice on getting ready for Ascot (such as, how to match your hair to your Ascot hat) and photos of high profile attendees. Of course, hats and fascinators get a lot of attention and just about anything goes!
Now, I didn’t want to look out of place, so I consulted my dear friend, Sue, a British ex-pat who now lives in Australia, on what to wear and how to wear it! I bought my dress in the U.S., but since it’s not that easy to find a large selection of fascinators in America, and because I didn’t want to crush a fascinator in my suitcase if I were to actually find one I liked, I waited until I got to London to purchase this important fashion statement.
I planned to be in London for about 3 weeks before I headed to Ascot (of course, I was sick for two-and-a-half weeks of my five week holiday, but that’s another story!) so I had plenty of time to find a hat. Sue’s advice to me was to make sure the color of the fascinator matched the color of my dress. While I dreamed of a custom-made Philip Treacy hat, I settled for the one I found at John Lewis which is like the U.S. equivalent of Nordstrom’s department store. (and they ship to the U.S.!)
When I visited London that year, it was unseasonably cold. So it’s a good thing I picked up a pair of pantyhose at John Lewis and a long trench coat at Marks & Spencer (AKA: M&S). I’d have been freezing otherwise!
Being a solo traveler can sometimes be lonely, and even though most people think I’m an extrovert, I have to really make an effort to talk to other people. Being part of a 5-bus tour, I was a little bit worried about whether I’d meet friendly people to hang out with throughout the day, or whether I’d spend the day being sad and lonely. Of course, I chose the former. (Yes, it’s a choice!).
I needn’t worry because I struck up a conversation with a wonderful person who clearly shared my fashion sense while I was waiting to get on my assigned bus. Notice the matching fascinators and wardrobe color?! Clearly she was a woman with good taste!
I hate to say this, but two years on, I don’t remember this woman’s name! But she was at Ascot as part of a work outing. She and her fellow co-workers, Kiran, Roge, and Sherene, made me an honorary part of their group and we hung out all day!
We made sure we were in our seats by 2 p.m. so we could watch Queen Elizabeth lead the Royal Procession, as everyone sang “God Save the Queen.” It was one of the highlights of the day
As you probably know, the queen is quite a keen horsewoman and has owned several horses that have competed (and won) at Ascot.
My new friends and I drank Pimm’s all afternoon, chatted about our lives, and
When the day was over, I thanked my new friends for taking me under their wing for the day. Not only did I have a fantastic outing, I still keep in touch two of the ladies and see them each time I visit London.
All in all, Royal Ascot is one of those events that every Anglophile should experience and I can’t wait for my next visit!