Kate triumphant after Frankie Dettori’s win at Royal Ascot
he Princess of Wales appeared to celebrate a Royal Ascot winner when she clenched her fists in triumph at the end of her day at the races.
Kate, who had wowed racegoers with a striking red dress, celebrated and clapped from the royal box after the aptly named Sandringham Stakes was won by Coppice, ridden by popular jockey Frankie Dettori.
The King and Queen, who have taken on the late Queen’s stable of racehorses, notched up their first Royal Ascot winner on Thursday, but their horse Candle Of Hope, a 50-1 outsider, was beaten by Dettori despite having led for a period.
Charles and Camilla had invited the Prince and Princess of Wales to the races, alongside actress Dame Judi Dench, the Duchess of Edinburgh, and Princess Beatrice and her husband Edo Mapelli Mozzi.
The future king and queen’s appearance at Royal Ascot was their first visit of the week to the famous Berkshire meet, where high fashion rubs shoulders with the racing world.
Kate caught the eye of the fashion conscious with a red dress by Alexander McQueen and a matching Philip Treacy hat, while William, like the other royal men, looked smart in a morning suit and top hat.
The couple live close to the racecourse, having moved to their four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage in Windsor’s Home Park last year, to offer their children more freedom away from central London.
They were spotted on Thursday with eldest son Prince George at William’s former school Eton College, prompting speculation the young royal, who turns 10 next month, will follow in the footsteps of his father.
William and Kate were guests of the late Queen a number of times at Royal Ascot, a racecourse the monarch had a great affinity with and where she had more than 20 winners.
Charles and Camilla appeared ecstatic when their thoroughbred Desert Hero, an 18-1 longshot, won the King George V Stakes on Thursday and Kate had the same reaction when her horse appeared to win.
During their day Kate was spotted chatting, drink in hand, with Dame Judi and she joined her husband to present the winning trophies in the Commonwealth Cup.
And she smiled and gave a thumbs up to Sophie as the duchess held up the official programme, listing all the runners and riders, open at a page for Kate to see.