Royal Ascot welcomes King and Queen for second day of racing

The King and Queen will be hoping for better luck at Royal Ascot when their runners take to the famous racecourse.

Charles and Camilla arrived at the Berkshire meet for the second day running, and like any horse owners will be hoping their two thoroughbreds can erase the disappointment of seeing their first Royal Ascot entrant lose on Tuesday.

The couple have carried on the late Queen’s tradition of supporting Royal Ascot and were joined by members of the royal family and close friends during the traditional carriage procession.

Among the guests were West End musical composer Lord Lloyd Webber and his wife Lady Lloyd Webber, while the racing world was represented by Sir Michael Stoute, who trained for the late Queen, and his contemporary William Haggas and his wife Maureen.

Lady Sarah Keswick, one of Camilla’s oldest friends, who is said to have known the King and Queen when they were romantically linked in the early 1970s, was in a carriage alongside Lord Soames, a former equerry to Charles who has remained a confidant.

Zara and Mike Tindall were enjoying a second succussive day at the races while the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were making their first appearance.

In the Royal Hunt Cup, racing’s poster boy Frankie Dettori will take the reins of Reach for the Moon, the royal horse which was favourite for last year’s Epsom Derby before being withdrawn.

Dettori finished fifth on Charles and Camilla’s horse Saga on Tuesday and a frustrating day, where he finished runner-up in three other races, saw stewards judge he caused interference while riding the royal horse and he received a nine-day ban to be served later in the season.

The King and Queen will also be hoping their horse Circle of Fire, running in the Queen’s Vase, can make them cheer in the royal box.