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Royal Ascot is a highlight of the summer social season and is certainly a must-attend event of the year and a quintessentially British day out.
These are five days made for socialising. Experience all the elements of Royal Ascot in 2026: the racing, the pageantry, the dining and the style!
Every day of the Royal Ascot meeting – from Tuesday to Saturday – is attended by the royal family.
Royal Ascot is Britain’s most valuable race meeting, attracting many of the world’s finest racehorses to compete for millions of pounds in prize money. Nineteen Group races, eight of them in Group One, have made legends of the finest thoroughbreds. Black Caviar, Frankel, Yeats – all are Royal Ascot winners turned household names.
There are four enclosures to choose from, each with its own individual character, and all put you at the heart of the racing action: the Royal Enclosure, the Queen Anne Enclosure, the Village Enclosure and the Windsor Enclosure.
Find out more about the various enclosures and book Royal Ascot tickets.
The Thursday of Royal Ascot is the day of the historic Gold Cup. It’s Ascot’s oldest surviving race and the winning owners still receive a gold trophy to keep. The term Ladies’ Day was first coined in 1823 when an anonymous poet described the Thursday of the Royal Meeting as "Ladies’ Day … when the women, like angels, look sweetly divine." Thursday is vibrant and celebratory.
Royal Ascot is heralded as a major fashion event. It’s an excuse to dress up and have a fabulous day! Depending on which enclosure you have tickets for, you can be guided and inspired by what to wear at Royal Ascot 2026 by visiting the Royal Ascot Style Guide.
The dates for Royal Ascot 2026 are Tuesday 16 June to Saturday 20 June 2026.
Each day follows a similar format. Gates open at 10:30am. The Royal Procession makes its way from the Golden Gates, along the racecourse, and into the Parade Ring and arrives by 2pm.
Seven races take place throughout the day; the first race is at 2:30pm and the last race is at 5.35pm.
Once the final race concludes, racegoers in the Queen Anne Enclosure are invited to celebrate their winnings by singing traditional favourites, along with a few new tunes, around the bandstand (from approximately 6pm).
Be part of Royal Ascot in 2026 and book your tickets here!
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From London and the North: M4 Junction 6 onto the A332 Windsor by-pass and follow the signs to Ascot. From the West: M4 Junction 10 to the A329(M) signed to Bracknell and follow the signs to Ascot. From the South and East: M3 Junction 3 onto the A332 signed to Bracknell and follow the signs to Ascot. From the Midlands: M40 southbound, Junction 4. Take the A404 towards the M4 (Junction 8/9). On the M4 head towards Heathrow / London. Leave M4 at Junction 6 and follow A332Windsor by-pass to Ascot. All visitors are advised to arrive as early as possible to avoid delays.
South Western Railways runs a frequent service to Ascot from both Reading and London Waterloo. The average journey time is 27 minutes from Reading and 52 minutes from Waterloo. Regular services also run from Guildford. The railway station is a seven-minute walk from the racecourse.
Please note that Ascot is not within the London Oyster Card Zone.
| Royal Ascot 2026 (16 June 2026 - 20 June 2026) |
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