The Duke and Duchess
of Cambridge delighted fans on Friday as they finally made an appearance
at Royal Ascot after having missed the previous three days.
And although they were
impeccably dressed for the occasion, with William looking dapper in his suit
and Kate looking so elegant in a polka-dot dress, complete with floral
hat, they did miss out one fairly important accessory – their name badges.
Badges aren’t an essential piece of fashion for the event, but they do help if
the royal couple intended to be on the move.
The kind of badge one has
usually denotes what areas they’re allowed in, and royals at the event, such as
Princess Beatrice and her husband have been seen with them on.
If William and Kate only
intended to be part of the royal procession and be in the royal box, they
may have decided against wearing the badges as they would’ve had a security
escort, making them redundant.
At the event, William and Kate
travelled in the lead carriage in the traditional royal procession which kicks
off before the races.
They were joined by Arthur
Vestey and his wife Martha. His late father, Lord Vestey, served as Master of
the Horse to the Queen and would often ride in Her Majesty’s carriage.
The Queen’s eldest grandson
Peter Phillips took his seat in the second carriage alongside his girlfriend
Lindsay Wallace as well as the Duke and Duchess of Bedford, while the Viscount
and Viscountess Brookeborough travelled in the third carriage with Mr and Mrs
Darby Dennis.
Prince William and Kate’s
attendance on the penultimate day of Royal Ascot comes as a surprise since the
royal family usually make appearances in the first three days of the annual
horse-racing event.
Prince Charles and Camilla
attended days one and two of Royal Ascot this week, leading the royal
procession by riding in the first carriage. They left an empty space in their
carriage on both days as a sign of respect for Her Majesty who would normally
be in attendance.
