The second day of Royal Ascot is taking place today (June 15) and there was disappointment for royal fans as it was revealed the Queen would not be in attendance.
Prince Charles and Camilla went in her place yesterday, and they also led the carriage procession at the Windsor racecourse today.
Others in the carriage procession included Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and the Count and Countess of Wessex.
And it was in the carriage with the Queen’s granddaughter the subtle nod to Prince Philip appears to have been made.
Royal Ascot today: Subtle nod to Prince Philip
Princess Beatrice, Edo and Princess Alexandra were all seated in the third carriage today.
Joining them was Countess Mountbatten Burma, Penelope Knatchbull.
The countess was a close friend of the late Duke of Edinburgh. She is a close companion of the Queen too.
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Penny was so close to Philip she was one of just 30 people to attend his funeral.
Penny married Norton Knatchbull, Earl Mountbatten, in 1979.
His grandfather was Philip’s beloved uncle Lord Louis Mountbatten. He died in an IRA bomb attack.
Will the Queen attend Ascot this week?
Fans hope the monarch’s mobility issues will improve so that she can attend at least one day of the horse racing festival.
It runs until Saturday (June 18), with racing pundits on ITV claiming yesterday that she could perhaps make Gold Cup day tomorrow (June 16).
Of course, as with events over the Platinum Jubilee weekend, the Queen’s attendance isn’t decided until the last minute.
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However, if she is able to attend, it’s unlikely she will take part in the carriage procession.
Instead, she would likely arrive in a car from her Windsor Castle home.
Ahead of yesterday’s race meeting, the monarch sent a warm welcome message to racegoers.
The Queen also expressed her gratitude for “the continued kindness” shown to her by the racing community as she hailed a nationwide tree-planting drive.
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