King Charles and actress Sophie Winkleman are seen enjoying royal box experience at Ascot racing festival
King Charles appeared in great spirits at day four of the Ascot racing festival as he was joined by actress Sophie Winkleman in the royal box.
The Monarch looked deep conversation with Ms Winkleman, the wife of Lord Frederick Windsor and half-sister of TV presenter Claudia, as they watched the excitement unfold on Thursday.
His Majesty sported a dapper grey morning suit, the same one he has worn for the three previous days, this time paired with a stylish pink waistcoat.
Lord Windsor, who is the son of Prince Michael of Kent and second cousin of King Charles, was also present alongside his wife, who donned a navy buttoned up blouse and matching hat, and Queen Camilla.
Despite the joyous atmosphere, the King and Queen's racing pot of gold failed to materialise once again as their horse Purple Rainbow was well beaten in the aptly named Sandringham Stakes race.
Charles and Camilla watched the fast-paced race from the royal box and were glued to monitors, with the King animated in the closing stages of the mile-long sprint.
He bobbed on the spot as if willing on his jockey Warren Fentiman, who was unfortunately unable to challenge the front runners.
The couple looked up in the closing stages to watch the race as it came past the stands but were left opened mouthed as Never Let Go crossed the line first.
Charles, 76, and Camilla, 77, will have to wait another day to try to double their tally of Royal Ascot winners.
The King and Queen Camilla kicked off events earlier in the day after they were seen waving to racegoers as they arrived in a horse-drawn-landaus.
They were joined by Camilla's old school friend Lady Cavendish and her husband Lord Cavendish in their coach during the traditional carriage procession along the course in Berkshire.
Charles' nieces Princess Eugenie and Zara Tindall were also seen beaming as they chatted with His Majesty.
Zara donned a chic baby blue pantsuit with a matching hat, while Princess Eugenie wore beige top coupled with a white hat and skirt.
The pair were in high spirits as they shared a warm embrace upon their arrival to the festival earlier today.
Princess Eugenie's mother, Sarah Ferguson, was also present at the prestigious event, wearing a polka dot black and white dress paired with a matching black hat.
Not to be outdone, Camilla oozed glamour in a white chiffon dress with embroidered flowers from Anna Valentine, paired with a feathered Philip Treacy hat.
Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank was also spotted in the parade ring alongside former defence secretary Ben Wallace when the royal procession arrived in the exclusive area.
The late Queen was a passionate owner and breeder of thoroughbreds and had more than 20 Royal Ascot winners during her 70-year reign.
Charles and Camilla have taken on her stable of horses and enjoyed their first Royal Ascot winner in 2023 when their horse Desert Hero triumphed in the King George V Stakes.
His Majesty's appearance today comes after Princess of Wales sparked concern as she pulled out of attending the festival on Wednesday, apparently at the last minute.
But royal sources insisted there was nothing to worry about and that it was simply a case of crossed wires.
Aides also stressed that Catherine was continuing to 'balance her return to public life' following her cancer diagnosis last year, after which she made clear that she would resume her duties with a slow and measured approach.
The mini-drama came as her husband, Prince William, handed out the prize for the Prince of Wales stakes at the racecourse in Berkshire.
Executives at Ascot had expected the princess to join him, travelling down in the carriage procession from Windsor Castle with King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Zara appeared in good spirits as she attended the occasion alongside her royal relatives
At 12pm they issued the procession list for the day, featuring the Prince and Princess of Wales in the second carriage after the King and Queen.
But 22 minutes later, guidance was issued which said Catherine would not be attending. It is understood an 'inaccurate version' of the list was 'issued in error'.
An updated list was circulated and Lord Soames – a good friend of the King – lost his seat to make way for William in the first carriage with Charles and Camilla. They were also joined by Saudi's Prince Saud bin Khalid Al-Saud.
Sources stressed there was 'no cause for alarm' and Catherine was following guidance palace aides have always given: that she would 'balance her return to public duties', following appearances at Trooping the Colour on Saturday and Monday's Order of the Garter service.
They added that she was 'disappointed' not to attend but 'has to find the right balance'.
Catherine, 43, had abdominal surgery last January, after which she was told cancer had been present, forcing her to undergo preventive chemotherapy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
26 minutes ago
- The Sun
Love Island game of ‘spin the bottle' kicks off as Tommy snogs TWO girls – and Megan is left fuming
LOVE Island will be thrown into chaos with a messy game of 'spin the bottle' on Sunday. In the teaser clip for Sunday night, everything kicked off and heated up between the singles as they played the raunchy game. 5 5 5 5 Playing the iconic game of Spin the Bottle, the Islanders could be seen donning their bikinis and Speedos as they took turns in spinning the giant bottle. In the brief clip, it was clear that Tommy snogged Welsh beauty Emily as Irish beauty Megan looked on in horror. Tommy is coupled with Megan, but now it looks like there might be tension between the two. He then sensationally smooched Shakira as well. Meanwhile, the real bombshell of the game looked to be Shakira's steamy smooch with Harry. In the teaser clip's edit, it seemed as though the Islanders were asked to snog who they'd most like to be coupled up with. It then cut to Shakira smooching Harry as Helena and Ben looked at their current love interests with disgust. "Is that Shakira and Harry kissing?" said one viewer in reaction to the teaser clip. "Shakira and Harry that kiss? no way so she dumped Ben for Harry? This is Crazy. can't wait for Sunday Night," penned a second. "Was that Shakira kissing Harry?" asked a third, in disbelief. This came after Harry and Shakira rekindled their romance aid "unfinished business" following his hideaway moment with Helena at the start of the series. In Friday night's episode, Harry made a move for Shakira again and even told her she's "The One". Pulling Shakira for a chat, Harry asks how she's feeling. "Initially, you were number one for me," Harry said in a candid way to the stunning brunette. Love Island 2025 full lineup Harry Cooksley: A 30-year-old footballer with charm to spare. Shakira Khan: A 22-year-old Manchester-based model, ready to turn heads. Megan Moore: A payroll specialist from Southampton, looking for someone tall and stylish. Alima Gagigo: International business graduate with brains and ambition. Tommy Bradley: A gym enthusiast with a big heart. Helena Ford: A Londoner with celebrity connections, aiming to find someone funny or Northern. Ben Holbrough: A model ready to make waves. Megan Clarke: An Irish actress already drawing comparisons to Maura Higgins. Dejon Noel-Williams: A personal trainer and semi-pro footballer, following in his footballer father's footsteps. Aaron Buckett: A towering 6'5' personal trainer. Conor Phillips: A 25-year-old Irish rugby pro. Antonia Laites: Love Island's first bombshell revealed as sexy Las Vegas pool party waitress. Yasmin Pettet: The 24-year-old bombshell hails from London and works as a commercial banking executive. Malisha Jordan: A teaching assistant from Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, who entered Love Island 2025 as a bombshell. Emily Moran: Bombshell Welsh brunette from the same town as Love Island 2024 alumni Nicole Samuel. Shea Mannings: Works as a scaffolder day-to-day and plays semi-pro football on the side. Remell Mullins: Boasts over 18million likes and 500k followers on TikTok thanks to his sizzling body transformation videos. Harrison Solomon: Pro footballer and model entering Love Island 2025 as a bombshell. Departures: Kyle Ashman: Axed after an arrest over a machete attack emerged. He was released with no further action taken and denies any wrongdoing. Sophie Lee: A model and motivational speaker who has overcome adversity after suffering life-changing burns in an accident. Blu Chegini: A boxer with striking model looks, seeking love in the villa. He then said that he doesn't think he would do the things he does if they were together, because she "wouldn't stand for it". "It was you," Shakira confessed, "And still is you. But it's your behaviour for me that I can't tolerate." Harry then admitted that he wanted to spend some more time with her and rekindle what they had at the start. "If that could possibly be arranged?" he pleaded. Shakira then said: "It could be arranged."
Daily Mail
34 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Jade Thirlwall makes VERY cheeky quip in risqué speech after being crowned Celebrity Ally Of The Year at British LGBT Awards - following her anti-JK Rowling chant
Jade Thirlwall made a cheeky quip after she was crowned Celebrity Ally Of The Year at British LGBT Awards at The Brewery in London on Friday evening. The Angel Of My Dreams hitmaker, 32, known professionally as JADE, is an outspoken supporter for the LGBTQ+ community, and earlier this month during a performance led thousands of fans in an anti-JK Rowling chant. Jade, who couldn't be present and accepted the gong via video link, told her gay fans how much she 'adorned' them, before cheekily thanking those who bought jockstraps from her merchandise collection. The singer raised eyebrows when she announced the range last year that also included a butt plug on a keychain and silicon-based lubricant. She said: 'Thank you, thank you, thank you, so so much for this award. It really does mean everything to me. I just want to say that from the bottom of my heart, I really do adore the LGBTQ+ community'. 'I know for a fact that I wouldn't be where I am now were it not for that community supporting me, and making me the best artist I can be, and the best ally that I can be'. Before quipping: 'And I would personally like to thank my gay fans especially for making my jock strap my best-selling merchandise piece - thank you so, so much'. Jade continued: 'But in all seriousness, I want you to know that my allyship is not transactional. It has always been incredibly important to me, for many years now, to be the best ally I can be, and show up for the community time and time again'. 'And I do feel like at this time more than ever, it really is crucial for allies to speak up, stand up and show support for the LGBTQ+ community, particularly the trans community'. Before adding: 'I'm really sorry that I can't be there tonight, I'm genuinely gutted. But I just want to say congratulations to all of the winners tonight and you have my oath, for eternity, that I will constantly strive to be the ally that you deserve'. Jade is far from the first celebrity with a large LGBTQ+ following to release risqué merch. Following her 2020 dance-pop album Chromatica, Lady Gaga released a hot-pink jockstrap while Cambridge-born singer Charli XCX previously sold a sex paddle alongside a branded douche. For her latest album Brat, she sold a key on a necklace When asked about the X-rated merch, that coincided with the release of her fourth single Fantasy, Jade told Vogue: 'I'm collaborating with a friend of mine, Samuel Douek, on a kind of Fantasy bundle package with some of his products and some of mine. It's fun getting to do stuff like that.' Douek is a filmmaker as well as the owner of CBD-based lubricant brand Howl - a product which features in Jade's collection. The former Little Mix star was performing at Mighty Hoopla in London (pictured) when she sang one of her songs FUFN (F*** You For Now) - using it to take aim at the Harry Potter author She continued: 'Obviously, in Little Mix, there was kind of a ceiling on how far we could push things with our demographic and fan base. 'So I'm excited for my own stuff to have that same element of fun and empowerment, but in my own way as a 31-year-old woman.' As well as the X-rated bundle, fans can buy a series of coloured bandanas - which are typically used as a visual shorthand for the LGBTQ+ community to discreetly signal sexual preference. Earlier this month the former Little Mix star was performing at Mighty Hoopla in London when she sang one of her new songs FUFN (F*** You For Now) - using it to take aim at the Harry Potter author. 'Transphobes,' JADE shouted, as the crowd replied: 'F*** you'. She then turned attention to the writer, yelling ' JK Rowlin g' to which the crowd chanted again: 'F*** you'. A festival-goer shared the clip online with the caption: 'Jade, the legend you are!!!' JK has denied being transphobic, but she previously said she would 'happily' go to jail for misgendering a trans person rather than referring to them by their preferred pronouns. She is also using the new Harry Potter series to fund organisations dedicated to removing trans rights, with her 'Women's Fund' website saying it will offer financial support to those fighting trans inclusion 'in the workplace, in public life, and in protected female spaces'. The author made her first controversial comments about trans people six years ago, and has long claimed their inclusion in spaces such as bathrooms is a threat to women.
BBC News
38 minutes ago
- BBC News
T20 Blast: Jacks stars for Surrey and Somerset win again
England white-ball batter Will Jacks provided the Friday night fireworks in the T20 Blast as Surrey hammered Middlesex by 75 runs at the Kia front of a packed crowd, Jacks hit 97 off 56 balls, with five sixes, as Surrey enjoyed a third win in four stay second in the South Group, four points behind leaders Somerset who made it seven wins out of eight with a six-wicket success over Glamorgan. Northamptonshire remain top of the North Group, but it is now back-to-back defeats after they lost by 24 runs to Nottinghamshire jumped up to second as they smashed a huge 243-7 against Derbyshire in an emphatic 80-run victory, while Durham beat Yorkshire by 63 the best game of the night, Gloucestershire beat Hampshire by two wickets off the last ball of the game, while Bears had a thrilling one-wicket win over Worcestershire at Edgbaston, also in the final spare a thought for Essex, who remain winless after losing by 47 runs at home to Kent. South Group - Top two pulling clear Runners-up last year and winners in 2023, Somerset's T20 pedigree was again in evidence at Sophia seam attack of Matt Henry, Riley Meredith and captain Lewis Gregory reduced Glamorgan to 49-5 in the ninth over and the innings did not recover.A total of 130-9 never looked to be enough as T20 specialist Tom Kohler-Cadmore hit 38, with Gregory scoring the winning run with 20 balls to captain Stevie Eskinazi had asked Surrey to bat first in the London derby and he must have regretted it when Jacks was hitting to all fell three short of his hundred and the loss of wickets in the latter overs kept the score to reply, Middlesex lost wickets at regular intervals, with New Zealand white-ball skipper Mitchell Santner impressing with it was left to Jacks to grab the last wicket as Surrey bowled their rivals out for just opted to chase at Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, in Chelmsford, in search of that elusive win, but they watched Kent opener Tawenda Muyeye strike his maiden T20 century with 100 off 59 balls as they racked up an imposing Elgar struck 50, but Matt Parkinson produced his T20 best figures of 5-23 to leave the chase in tatters.T20 captain Simon Harmer smashed four successive sixes as he hit 55 off 21 balls before he was last man out as they were bowled out for defence of their T20 crown began with six straight losses, but they made it two wins in a row in a Bristol Payne starred with the ball taking 3-20 as Hampshire were squeezed to despite D'Arcy Short's 49, things got tense as Liam Dawson and Benny Howell slowed up the scoring, and with three needed off Chris Wood's final over and then one off the last ball, Payne hit it for six to secure victory. North Group - big wins for Lancs and Durham Northamptonshire opened the T20 season with six straight wins, five of which were achieved by batting decided to bat themselves and despite losing wickets, Tom Moores' 53 helped them to in successive overs from England Lions leg-spinner Farhan Ahmed put the Outlaws on top as Northants slipped to 45-4 inside nine put them in trouble and they were always second best, eventually all out for 140 in the final Midlands derby at Edgbaston provided the drama even though visitors Worcestershire were bowled out for 134 in the 19th over batting first as Dan Mousley took 4-19 for Davies hit 42, but his wicket to Fateh Singh (3-18) and then two in two balls from the slow left-armer left the hosts in big trouble at Sam Hain played a match-winning knock of 38 not out as he guided the tail through with just one wicket and three balls to spare. Meeting for the second time in six days, Yorkshire invited Durham to bat at Chester-le-Street with opener Graham Clark hitting 53, before New Zealand white-ball specialist Jimmy Neesham provided a fine 42 not out from 21 balls to take the score to needed a big innings to get close, but nobody bettered Adam Lyth's 38, with four Durham bowlers claiming two wickets each to bowl out their opponents for 130 in the 18th Wells plundered a club record eight sixes in a Lancashire T20 innings as he top-scored with 83 in his side's huge total against Derbyshire, while Matty Hurst smashed 59 off only 29 Caleb Jewell was last man out for 65 as the hosts were bowled out for 163 in reply, and they stay bottom of the group as the competition now takes a two-week break.
