Royal Ascot returns next week in all its glory: a heady mix of summer glamour, sporting excitement and royalty on parade.
But for shoe designer Eleanor Wellesley, it’s all about the horses – even if, for the past two years, her aunt and uncle the 9th Duke and the Duchess of Wellington, who are close friends of the King, have travelled in the first carriage of the royal procession with His Majesty and the Queen.
“I love to go down to the parade ring and watch the horses go down to the start line,” she tells us in this exclusive photoshoot at her home in West London, which is filled with “a lot of horsey photos”.
© Amelia Allen
Eleanor, 29, is known for her elevated range of espadrilles, and one could say that shoe design is in her blood. The Wellesley family are descendants of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, after whom the famous boot was named, and who popularised the footwear after helping secure victory at the Battle of Waterloo.
“I loved heels from an early age. I’ve always loved fashion, art, design,” says Eleanor, whose family are still society mainstays: her aunt, TV producer Lady Jane, dated Prince Charles in the 1970s, while her cousin Sofia Wellesley married singer-songwriter James Blunt in 2014.
Her father is Lord Christopher Wellesley, the youngest son of the 8th Duke of Wellington. Lord Christopher was married to Eleanor’s mother Laura until they separated in 2005.
Her love of the arts is evident throughout her home, where the walls are lined with “my other passion” – black-and-white fashion photography.
After graduating with a degree in history of art from the University of Exeter, she spent a year in New York working for acclaimed stylist Elizabeth Sulcer, alongside some of the world’s top models, such as Gigi and Bella Hadid and Adriana Lima.
“They worked very hard and were all very kind and fun,” she says. The experience inspired her to pursue a career in fashion.
Next, it was a Greek holiday that led to her interest in espadrilles. “I was wearing chunky boots in boiling hot heat,” she remembers. “I went home that evening and drew an espadrille that I would want to wear.”
That was in 2019. Four years later, she launched her designs in four colours; this year, there’s a veritable rainbow to choose from. “There’s a beige croissant colour, the cherry red, the rose pink,” she says. Her latest venture is a new range of evening shoes.
But what about giving a nod to her heritage and designing a pair of Wellington boots? Never say never. “I would love to do a boot; I do wear boots all the time,” she says.
CLASSIC STYLE
When it comes to style icons, Eleanor cites Katharine Hepburn, Jane Birkin and Grace Kelly as her inspirations. “I think my mother has amazing style,” she adds. “Everyone’s always commenting about what she’s wearing: everything’s matching, everything’s perfect.”
Her dream customer, though, would be the Princess of Wales. “She supports a lot of English brands,” the designer notes.
© Amelia Allen
The British summer season is, unsurprisingly, a hectic time for Eleanor, now that her shoes are a go-to range for the society set. “I’ve met so many people in the racing industry who say: ‘God, I love your shoes – I go to the races every weekend and I don’t know what to wear because I sink into the grass.’”
Of course, Ascot is a key date in the calendar, even if she hasn’t yet finalised her own look. “A lot of my friends organise what they’re wearing in January, and I’m not like that,” she says. “It does take a bit of planning; you have to get the hat, the dress, the jewellery and, of course, the shoes.”
Her own go-tos? “I absolutely love Philip Treacy; I’ve got some beautiful hats from him. Alessandra Rich has been great, too.”
Which brings us to her other passion: racing. Until recently, her focus at Ascot had been on her brand. But last year, Eleanor, whose racehorse Brasil Power is currently in the stables of top trainer George Boughey, found herself on the other side of the fence.
Applying to ride in a charity race at Ascot, she was surprised to be called up with two months to go after another competitor dropped out.
“I’ve ridden my whole life; my whole family is into horses and riding, including my grandfather. I’ve been on all types of horses, so I thought: ‘This looks super-easy,” smiles Eleanor, who grew up between London and Hampshire (the Wellesley family seat, Stratfield Saye, has been the home of the Dukes of Wellington since 1817).
The reality was somewhat different. “I’ve never been so exhausted in my life,” she recalls.
Eleanor has previously been characterised as a party girl, with newspapers picking up on her trips to the Coachella and Burning Man festivals. “Just like any person in their early 20s, I’d love to dance,” she says. But as she has focused on training, her priorities have shifted.
“My routine was getting up at 5am, driving to Newmarket to train, then maybe going to the British Racing School, where a very kind ex-jockey was helping me work on an Equicizer [training machine], coming back to London – and then going to the gym for an hour.”
It paid off. “I won at Ascot last July, which was amazing,” she says. Another victory followed in a charity race last November, two months after she broke a knuckle while riding, and the prize was presented by the Princess Royal, who rode for Great Britain in the 1976 Olympic Games.
“It was a privilege to receive it from such an acclaimed equestrian,” Eleanor says. As for riding: “It gave me a bit of confidence to pursue it further.”
© Getty ImagesBACK IN THE SADDLE
Now, she has her sights set on a much bigger target: riding at all the different racecourses around the UK. This weekend, she’ll be saddling up to take part in her third charity race, the 2025 Macmillan Ride of their Lives at York Racecourse.
Shown on TV, “it’s the biggest charity race in the country”, she says. And the cause is close to her heart. “I have a family member who’s currently going through treatment and you can see how much Macmillan helps.”
Once again, she has “turned down events and parties” to focus on her prep. “I’m having a healthy couple of months: going to bed at 10pm, prioritising work and training.” But if she wins on Saturday? “I’d love to raise a glass to the family and friends who have supported me,” she says.
Racing has “basically changed my life”, she adds. “It’s opened up a whole new world and it’s amazing for mental health; it clears your brain, because all you’re focused on is staying on.”
It could be the next step for her business, too. “I’d love to add a fashion riding boot to my range – but that’s an idea for another time.”
To support Eleanor, visit justgiving.com
www.eleanorwellesley.com
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