The lack of sunshine didn’t stop the smiles. As day one of Royal Ascot 2019 got under way, the royal procession was led by the Queen who was joined by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands for the start of the famous meeting. And despite the drizzle and cloudy skies, the royal party seemed to be enjoying every second of Royal Ascot.
The traditional procession was made in open carriages despite the intermittent rain. The Duke of York accompanied his mother and the Dutch king and queen in the first open landau.
The second carriage saw the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall joined by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The third carriage included the Earl and Countess of Wessex as well as the Princess Royal. They were joined by the Lord de Mauley who is Master of the Horse.
The final carriage in the procession brought Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie to the Royal Enclosure.
Inside the Royal Enclosure, other members of the family were waiting to join the party with Zara and Mike Tindall among the first to greet the Queen as she stepped out of her carriage.
The summer meeting at Ascot has been a royal event since 1911, two hundred years after Queen Anne established the course.
This year’s meeting runs for five days, until Saturday June 22nd 2019, and the Queen is expected to attend throughout the event.