Royal Ascot 2026: London's Creative Set Dresses Up
Royal Ascot 2026, held at the historic racecourse founded by Queen Anne in 1711, drew over 275,000 racegoers across five days. Creative director Daniel Fletcher, also founder of Mithridate, curated the annual lookbook 'The Art of Dressing Well' featuring model Erin O'Connor. The event saw a bold tomato red color palette, described by O'Connor as 'regal yet punk, and totally British.' Attendees included designers Tolu Coker and Sabina Bilenko, actors Saffron Hocking and Ncuti Gatwa, model Nassia Matsa, and influencers Betty Bachz, Ikram Abdi Omar, and Harrison Osterfield. The Prince and Princess of Wales attended on Wednesday, with Kate Middleton wearing a yellow Roksanda dress. Guests enjoyed Moët champagne and Whispering Angel Rosé. Fletcher noted he had a winner on the first race with Ten Bob Tony at 50/1.
Key facts
- Royal Ascot 2026 took place at Ascot Racecourse, founded in 1711 by Queen Anne.
- Over 275,000 racegoers attended the five-day event.
- Daniel Fletcher, creative director of Royal Ascot and founder of Mithridate, created the lookbook 'The Art of Dressing Well'.
- Model Erin O'Connor starred in the campaign and described the color palette as 'regal yet punk, and totally British'.
- Attendees included Tolu Coker, Saffron Hocking, Ncuti Gatwa, Nassia Matsa, and Maura Higgins.
- Kate Middleton attended on Wednesday in a yellow Roksanda dress, her first appearance at Ascot since 2023.
- Fletcher won a bet on Ten Bob Tony at 50/1 odds.
- Guests drank Moët champagne and Whispering Angel Rosé.
Entities
Artists
- Daniel Fletcher
- Erin O'Connor
- Tolu Coker
- Saffron Hocking
- Ncuti Gatwa
- Nassia Matsa
- Maura Higgins
- Betty Bachz
- Ikram Abdi Omar
- Harrison Osterfield
- Kate Middleton
- Prince William
- Roksanda
- Carol Kennelly
- Manolo Blahnik
- Sabina Bilenko
- Jane Taylor
Institutions
- Royal Ascot
- Mithridate
- Favourbrook
- Swaine
- Hackett
- Edward Sexton
- Lock & Co.
- Gieves & Hawkes
- Aspinal
- Moët
- Whispering Angel Rosé
- Vogue
Locations
- Ascot
- United Kingdom
- London