Sir Johnny Weatherby, a close friend of the Royal Family and for nearly a decade Queen Elizabeth II’s Representative at Ascot, has died aged 66, leaving a notable absence at the heart of both British racing and the ceremonial life that surrounds it.
For many racegoers, his was a familiar and reassuring presence in the Royal Enclosure: immaculately turned out, quietly authoritative, and deeply attuned to the traditions of the Turf. As Her Majesty’s Representative from 2011 until 2020, Sir Johnny headed the Ascot Office at St James’s Palace and carried responsibility for one of the most sensitive roles in the royal sporting calendar – overseeing access to the Royal Enclosure and ensuring the smooth running of Ascot’s most symbolic rituals.
He was also a regular figure in the Royal Procession itself, riding in the carriage parade that opens each day of Royal Ascot. Most recently, he took part in 2024, accompanied by his wife, a poignant final appearance in a pageant he understood better than most. Those who watched from the lawns noted his evident pride in continuing a tradition that binds Crown and course as tightly as anywhere in British public life.
A spokesperson for Ascot Racecourse said: “All of us at Ascot were deeply saddened by the news of Sir Johnny Weatherby’s death. Johnny played an immensely important role in Ascot’s history between 1997 and 2020, first as a Trustee, then Chairman and Her Majesty’s Representative.
“Our deepest sympathies go to his entire family but especially to Sophie, Isabella, Jack, Max and Lara. Jockeys at Ascot today and tomorrow will wear black armbands as a mark of respect.”
Weatherby’s relationship with the monarchy was rooted not merely in ceremony but in trust. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 2020 – a personal honour bestowed by the late Queen in recognition of service given directly to the Sovereign. It was a fitting acknowledgment of a man who had become synonymous with Ascot’s royal-facing duties, combining discretion with an encyclopaedic knowledge of racing’s customs.
Born into one of the most influential dynasties in the history of the sport, Sir Johnny was a seventh-generation member of the Weatherby family, whose name has been intertwined with the governance of British racing for more than 250 years. He joined the family firm in 1979 and became chairman in 1993, a role he held for nearly three decades. Under his stewardship, Weatherbys balanced tradition with modernisation, remaining custodians of the General Stud Book – first published in 1791 – while expanding its global reach.
In an interview in 2018, Weatherby spoke with characteristic humility about that inheritance, describing the family’s role as one of responsibility rather than privilege. The General Stud Book, he said, was not simply a record but a “tangible, vital piece of Turf history”, central to the integrity of the Thoroughbred worldwide.
Away from administration, he was a lifelong horseman. A keen amateur jump jockey in his youth, he later became a respected owner-breeder at Preston Lodge Stud in Rutland. His successes included breeding Presenting Percy, a dual Cheltenham Festival winner, and Top Wood, who won the Foxhunters’ Chase at Aintree during the 2019 Grand National meeting carrying his colours.
His influence extended well beyond Britain. A member of the Jockey Clubs of both Britain and the United States, and chairman of the International Stud Book Committee, Weatherby was widely regarded as a global ambassador for the sport – someone who could move effortlessly between boardroom, stable yard and royal drawing room.
Announcing his death, Weatherbys said Sir Johnny had died “following a life of peerless service to horseracing”, describing him as a figure of “immense stature” whose energy, foresight and dedication shaped the modern industry. Yet for many, his legacy will be felt most keenly each June, when the carriages roll down the straight at Ascot without one of their most recognisable occupants.
