Royal Ascot kicked off this week and once again celebrities and members of the royal family stepped out in the finery to attend one of the biggest events in the social calendar.
Fans of the royals have already seen the likes of Princess Anne, Zara and Mike Tindall and Duchess Sophie, but some are confused about why her daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, has not attended the racing before, despite having a love of horses.
Despite some fans sharing their theories on Twitter that Louise, 19, may not have been old enough to attend, the age restriction is from ten years old. What’s more, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have been attending for years since they were teenagers.
Other royal watchers, however, are certain that Louise’s university study may be a reason why she hasn’t made an appearance this year. Due to the royal studying English at the University of St Andrews, it’s likely her education in Scotland has taken precedence.
It’s not the first event that royal fans noticed Louise absent from recently. Last weekend, senior, working members of the royal family attended Trooping the Colour to mark King Charles’ first official birthday celebrations since being crowned at his coronation in May.
Louise and her brother, James, Earl of Wessex, were not at the event attended by their parents, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and did not join them or the extended royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the military flypast.
Discussing why the young royals were not present at Trooping the Colour, Online Royal Correspondent said: “The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh’s children are not expected to be working members of the royal family and King Charles is reportedly in favour of a slimmed-down monarchy.
“It’s also an important time for Lady Louise and James, Earl of Wessex, in terms of their education.”
The royal event was a big moment for the Duke and Duchess. Duchess Sophie was the first royal to arrive in the carriage procession and sat next to Princess Anne’s husband, Sir Timothy Laurence. It was a special moment for Prince Edward, too, who rode alongside the monarch on horseback for the first time.
