I say, Royal Ascot is upon us, jolly good show!

The British social summer calendar is jam-packed with sporting events that both wealthy and working class people lick their lips at the thought of. The Wimbledon Tennis Championships, Henley-on-Thames Regatta, the sailing week at Cowes on the Isle Of Wight and next year London makes the Summer Olympic Games it’s own; all these occasions seem to roll off the tongue when mentioned while one tries to plan one’s summer programme.

Royal Ascot is another name that fits seamlessly into that list of classic British summer events. Everything about it just oozes British-ness: the fashion, the fine dining and just the fact that the Royal family turn up year upon year. This is to such an extent that racing sometimes doesn’t bear the main focus anymore, with the attention on the attendees, the Queen and of course, what everyone is wearing.

Even though the dress code is strict at Ascot, people have a huge appetite for wearing head-turning outfits, with a sea of elaborate fascinators and top hats on show every day of the week. It’s almost as if it’s a contest in it’s own right, and with the Royal wedding still fresh in the memory Kate Middleton has ensured that dresses and traditional fashion at Ascot has become all the rage, making sure that the competition is a healthy one. However posh frocks and smart suits can sometimes only be a disguise for a spot of good old British hooliganism after a few drinks, with one fight making the headlines of many national newspapers.

Royal Ascot has such a rich heritage, with much of it connected to royalty, and with the event having celebrated it’s 300th anniversary this year, it has ranked highly amongst British culture for a long time. After Queen Anne thought the heathland near Windsor Palace would be a perfect place for racing three centuries ago, the event has gone from strength to strength, with 300,000 people making the trip to Berkshire this year. Some racegoers only attend so they can rub shoulders with the likes of Prince Harry and Prince Charles, with the royal family epitomising British charm and aristocracy.

Royal Ascot has always been a quintessentially British event, one of the premiere events of the social calendar each summer. While the fashion, the food, the racing and even the odd bet make perfect ingredients for a traditionally British occasion, it is the Royal family that runs through the veins of Ascot week.