Royal Ascot 2023 has neigh-ly arrived and there’s still plenty of tickets left available, so stop your whinnying and find out how you can grab yourself a spot today.
So much has changed since the last Royal Ascot that we feel like we’ve got whiplash.
This time last year we were basking in the long weekend of the Platinum Jubilee, and this year, we’re facing our first Ascot without the late Queen Elizabeth, who famously loved the event.
After visiting the racecourse and entering horses since 1946, the Queen’s passion for Ascot is being referenced this year as the Platinum Jubilee Stakes has been renamed The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. This, alongside the famous Gold Cup race, is what makes Royal Ascot one of the biggest racing events in the world and a hugely memorable day out.
Founded in 1711 by Queen Anne, the first Royal Ascot race was run on the 11th of August with a prize of 100 guineas awarded. Now, it’s made up of five days and 19 Group races with a total prize pot of £7.3million waiting to be dished out.
Apart from the royals and the racing, Ascot is also best known for its fashion. Every year visitors put on their best glad rags and cravats and head on down to Berkshire to take part in the event. Plus, there’s food stalls, bars and live music across the week – what’s not to love?
To tell you more we’ve put together this guide of everything you need to know about Royal Ascot, including dress code, the different enclosure options and how to get tickets now. There’s still plenty of spots available so get oneself off to find out more.
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What date is Royal Ascot 2023?
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Royal Ascot runs this year from Tuesday, 20th to Saturday, 24th of June. Gates open at 10:30am each day with races running from 2:30pm to 6:10pm.
Each day has its own pros and cons but the highlight of the week is always The Gold Cup which takes place on the third day (Thursday the 22nd this year). This race is a Group One flat horse race open to horses aged four years or older. They run over two miles and 3 furlongs with a total prize of £625,000 to be split between the winners.
The Saturday is also a popular choice, as it features the newly renamed Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes – a Group One contest for sprinters over six furlongs which is one of the six races in the Global Sprint Challenge.
Buy Royal Ascot tickets at Ticketmaster
How to get to Royal Ascot 2023
Royal Ascot can be found in Ascot, Berkshire, and is accessible via car, train and, yes, helicopter. If you’re driving, the site has around 8,000 parking spaces so all you have to do is take the M4, M40 or M3 and follow the signs to Ascot. If you’re taking the train, South Western Railway runs frequent trips to Ascot from Reading, Guildford and London Waterloo, then it’s just a seven-minute walk from the station.
What are the different enclosures at Royal Ascot 2023?
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There are four different enclosures to choose from at Royal Ascot, each with its own price and dress code plus a range of food and drink options. Here’s everything you need to know:
Windsor Enclosure
The Windsor Enclosure is open for all five days of Royal Ascot and has the most laid-back atmosphere by far. It sits on the home straight right in the middle of the racing action and gives you prime views of the Royal Procession. It also features live music throughout the day and plenty of space to sit on the benches or lawns. Visitors to the Windsor Enclosure are encouraged to take picnics and relax as they watch the seven races.
Village Enclosure
The Village Enclosure opens from Thursday to Saturday and is known for its festival vibe. The enclosure has live music until 9pm across three stages, plus street food stalls and pop-up bars. Your view will be from the centre of the track with the impressive Ascot Grandstand in the background.
Queen Anne Enclosure
Open all week, the Queen Anne Enclosure is the most up-scale area for members of the public, which sits on the trackside lawns and Grandstand viewing steps. This ticket gets you great views of the Parade Ring plus a chance to take part in the traditional singing around the Bandstand, which takes place at 6.40pm each day after racing finishes.
Royal Enclosure
The Royal Enclosure was first created in 1807 when King George III and his royal household had an area specially reserved to watch the Gold Cup. The Enclosure remains an invitation-only event and gives you exclusive access to level four of the Grandstand as well as views of the Parade Ring and Winning Post.
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Is there a dress code for Royal Ascot?
Need top tips on planning your #RoyalAscot outfit? We got you 💁♀️ ➡ It’s TAPNER’S TOP TIPS!
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 5, 2023
👩 @Rosie_Tapner #TapnersTopTips
🗓️ 20-24 June
🎟️ https://t.co/K3qMh3lNIV pic.twitter.com/wqfYemQTej
Although most people associate Ascot with top hats and tails, you may be surprised to learn that this isn’t the case for everyone. The dress code varies for each enclosure from highbrow haute couture to smart casual.
Starting at the Windsor Enclosure, there is no official dress code for ladies or gentleman, although both are encouraged to dress in “smart daywear.” For men this might include jacket, collared shirt and full-length trousers, and for women this could mean a smart dress with a fascinator.
At the Village Enclosure, women must wear dress or top and skirt with a hat, headpiece, or a fascinator. Jumpsuits are allowed but should fall below the knee and thin straps are not permitted. Meanwhile for men, it’s a suit jacket or blazer with chinos or formal trousers, plus a tie or a cravat.
This is pretty much the same for the Queen Anne Enclosure except men must wear two or three-piece suit and a necktie with a “pattern of a patriotic nature,” so think flags and flowers.
Lastly if you’ve lucked out enough to get an invite to the Royal Enclosure, it gets a whole lot stricter. Ladies’ dresses should fall just above the knee or longer and hats must have a brim of 4 inches minimum. For men it’s full morning dress, i.e. top hat, tails, waistcoat – the works!
If you want some outfit inspiration, we recommend checking out Moss Bros and John Lewis.
How much do Royal Ascot tickets cost?
Ticket prices vary depending on which date you go and which enclosure you sit in. The Thursdays and Saturdays have the biggest races and are therefore the priciest (about £20 above the other dates).
In terms of enclosure, The Windsor Enclosure is always the cheapest with the price ranging from £49 to £65. Then it’s around £85 for the Village Enclosure and between £90 and £99 for the Queen Anne Enclosure.
Across the week the lowest you can pay is £49 for the Windsor Enclosure on the Tuesday and the highest is £99 for the Queen Anne Enclosure on the Friday.
Although you can obviously up the expense by picking one of the hospitality packages. Private boxes, for instance, can start at £1,099 per person and the fine dining experiences all start in the hundreds.
Buy Royal Ascot tickets at Ticketmaster
How to get tickets to Royal Ascot 2023
Tickets for the Windsor Enclosure and Village Enclosure are still available at Ticketmaster, with plenty of spaces still available across the week.
The Queen Anne Enclosure can be found on the official Royal Ascot website but these seats are usually the first to go and have already sold out on the Thursday and Saturday.
Buy Royal Ascot tickets at Ticketmaster
We’ve got a lot more sport coming up this summer. Take a look at how to get tickets to the England Summer series, the Euro 2024 Qualifiers and The Ashes 2023.