King Charles and Queen Camilla Suffer Royal Ascot Setback as Hopes of Opening-Day Glory Fade
King Charles and Queen Camilla Suffer Royal Ascot Setback as Hopes of Opening-Day Glory Fade
King Charles and Queen Camilla endured a disappointing start to Royal Ascot after their horse, Reaching High, failed to deliver victory on the opening day of the prestigious racing festival.
The royal couple watched from the Royal Box as their hopes of adding another Ascot triumph to their record quickly faded when Reaching High finished well behind the leaders in the Ascot Stakes.
Instead, the race was won by outsider Kizlyar, which stunned racegoers with a surprise 25-1 victory.
Hopes Dashed on Opening Day
Thousands of spectators packed the famous Berkshire racecourse for the first day of Royal Ascot, with many hoping the King and Queen would celebrate another memorable success.
Charles and Camilla inherited Queen Elizabeth II’s renowned racing stable and have embraced the sport with enthusiasm since ascending the throne.
But this time, their horse could not match the pace of Kizlyar, leaving the monarch without an opening-day winner.
Despite the setback, four more royal runners remain entered throughout the week.
Family Gathering Adds Joy to the Occasion
While victory on the track proved elusive, the day was still filled with family celebrations.
Princess Anne joined the royal party alongside her son, Peter Phillips, and his new wife, Harriet Phillips, who were making their first Royal Ascot appearance as a married couple.
The newlyweds shared a carriage with Princess Anne and Sir Ben Elliot and appeared delighted throughout the procession.
Photographs from the Royal Box captured moments of laughter and conversation among family members, with Queen Camilla’s son Tom Parker Bowles and her sister Annabel Elliot also among the guests.
King Sends Warm Message to Racegoers
In the official race-day programme, King Charles and Queen Camilla welcomed visitors and wished competitors the best of luck.
“As owner breeders ourselves, we know how hard it is to win races at Royal Ascot,” the royal couple wrote.
Although Reaching High failed to secure a victory, the King still had the opportunity to present the trophy for the King Charles II Stakes, which was won by Aidan O’Brien’s Mission Central.
More Chances Await
The King and Queen celebrated their first Royal Ascot winner as monarchs in 2023 when Desert Hero captured the King George V Stakes.
With several horses still scheduled to run during the remainder of the week, royal racing fans will be hoping there are more reasons to celebrate before the festival comes to an end.
For now, however, opening day belonged to Kizlyar—and King Charles and Queen Camilla were left to reflect on what might have been.
References
GB News: King Charles and Queen Camilla suffer major disappointment during first day of Royal Ascot
King Charles III
Queen Camilla
Royal Ascot
Official Royal Ascot race programme, 2026