Inside Princess Kate’s Royal Ascot girls’ day out with mother Carole and sister-in-law Alizée

Kate was greeted by cheers from the crowd as she appeared on the second day of the historic racing festival for the first time since receiving a cancer diagnosis in 2024. She last attended Ascot in 2023 with her mother, in her first appearance there as the Princess of Wales.

The Princess, 44, who chose not to attend last year while managing her return to work after chemotherapy, sported a head-turning yellow Roksanda dress that she last wore in 2022 as she rode with the Prince of Wales in the traditional carriage procession.

William, who celebrated his 44th birthday days later, made a touching tribute to his wife of 15 years in the form of a matching yellow buttonhole. 

HELLO! was there to witness the rapturous reception for the Princess, who was also joined in the carriage by the Duke and Duchess of Richmond and Gordon. 

“Royal Ascot is one of the biggest events of the summer season, so it was great to see her return for the occasion,” says HELLO!’s royal editor, Emily Nash, who watched as the carriages concluded their procession through the racecourse. 

“People were clearly delighted to see her again, and although there were three cheers for the King, there was palpable excitement about her entrance. When she appeared, a huge cheer went up from the crowd.”

The Princess smiled and waved to onlookers as she stepped down into the parade ring, before curtseying to the King and Queen. William, meanwhile, was heard joking with well-wishers. After a member of the crowd shouted: “Up the Villa,” referring to his beloved Aston Villa football team, he replied: “I hear people saying that now.” 

The family were all smiles at the event, which coincided with the news that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will reportedly return to the UK next month, bringing their children – Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five – to the country for the first time since 2022.

Harry, 41, is expected to attend an event celebrating the one-year countdown to the 2027 edition of the Invictus Games, the sporting event he launched in 2014. It will be held in Birmingham next year.

Away from the glare of the parade ring, Kate – who just weeks ago made her first overseas work trip since her cancer diagnosis, visiting Italy – was joined by her mother, Carole Middleton, 71, and her sister-in-law, Alizée Thevenet, 36, who arrived at Ascot together on day two in a show of family solidarity for a girls’ day out.

Kate’s close bond with her mother was clear to see as they laughed together in the royal box; at one point, the Princess clasped her mother’s hand. Carole, who has been a constant throughout her daughter’s life, has long been cherished by William and Kate for her support, especially when it comes to raising their three children: Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight.

“Seeing Kate having so much fun with her mother and sister-in-law shows what a close bond they share,” Emily says. “The Princess has spoken about how much she relied on her family during her illness and they have clearly given her so much strength.

“It’s lovely to see them being able to celebrate her return together, and to see her away from the crowds looking so relaxed and clearly having a lot of fun with those closest to her.”

Carole’s own role in the royals’ inner circle was evident as she spoke intimately with other family members, including the King’s cousin Lady Sarah Chatto, the daughter of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones.

“It was a lovely moment to capture,” the photographer Samir Hussein, who snapped the moments in the royal box, tells HELLO!. “Catherine and Carole arrived separately, but as soon as they saw each other, there was this instant warmth between them.

“Catherine seemed genuinely thrilled to see her mother – they clasped hands straight away and spent the afternoon chatting, smiling and laughing together. You could see how much they were enjoying sharing the day.”

Carole’s position at the heart of the Firm was seen again on the third day of the festival, when she was joined by her husband, Michael, 76, in the parade ring. The couple enjoyed time in the royal box, where Carole – between the King and Zara Tindall – was seen intently watching the racecourse.

Sisterly support 

It was a rare public appearance for Alizée, who was greeted by the Princess with a kiss on the cheek. The wife of Kate’s younger brother, James Middleton, prefers to keep a low profile, although she joined the family at Westminster Abbey in December for the Princess’s carol service, Together at Christmas, and made her own Ascot debut last summer.

The sisters-in-law quickly settled into an animated conversation, both smiling broadly throughout. “Kate has always been incredibly close to her siblings, and that closeness extends to her sister-in-law, too,” Emily says. “They clearly get on really well.”

Both Kate and her mother chose to re-wear looks for day two of the event. The Princess first sported her yellow dress in 2022 on a royal visit to Jamaica and later wore it at Wimbledon. On this occasion, she paired it with a hat by Jane Taylor London, a three-strand pearl bracelet that belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales and diamond earrings once owned by Queen Elizabeth II. 

Carole, meanwhile, donned the mother-of-the bride look that she wore to the wedding of her younger daughter, Pippa, to James Matthews in 2017. She accessorised her blush-pink dress by Catherine Walker with an Emmy London bag and shoes, alongside amethyst and diamond earrings by Kiki McDonough. 

As for Alizée, the financial expert paid tribute to her French heritage in her festival look, accessorising her pie-crust collared white dress and straw boater with a Longchamp tote bag and Sézane drop earrings. Alizée and James, who have been married since 2021, have a son, Inigo, two.

They were joined in the royal box by Lady Gabriella Kingston, 45, who looked elegant in an icy-blue look by Claire Mischevani, a label also favoured by Queen Mary of Denmark. Her dress was complemented by an Aspinal of London bag, earrings by Lizzie Fortunato and a white hat.

Earlier, she had been warmly welcomed by Kate in the parade ring, the Princess gently touching her arm before they fell into conversation.

Stronger together

It was evident that William was delighted by Kate’s presence, offering her his hand and staying nearby as they greeted fellow members of the royal family in the parade ring.

“They looked closer than ever as a couple,” Emily says. “Last year, we saw William attend alone, with support from his cousin Zara Tindall, in particular. But this year, his wife was back at his side to help him present the prizes for the winners of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, including the jockey William Buick, who won on Ombudsman.

“They were clearly having fun later, too, with friends and family in the royal box.” 

The couple were seen deep in conversation with the former England football manager Sir Gareth Southgate ahead of England’s first World Cup match against Croatia. Doubtless there was much that William, an avowed fan, might have wished to discuss with the former Aston Villa player. 

Ascot truly proved to be a family affair, with hello! watching as the royals welcomed a new member into the fold on the opening day: Harriet Phillips, 45, who married Peter Phillips earlier this month. The King and Queen – Camilla wearing an Anna Valentine dress, Chanel pumps, a Philip Treacy hat and the Cullinan V heart-shaped diamond brooch – were there as Harriet made her debut in the carriage procession.  

“All eyes were on the second carriage, which held Harriet Phillips,” says hello!’s features editor, Miranda Thompson. “Just ten days after she had married the Princess Royal’s son, Peter Phillips, in front of the King and Queen, it was wonderful to see just how warm the royals were towards her, especially her new mother-in-law.” 

Princess Anne, 75, could be seen offering Harriet advice before she stepped down from the carriage to join her husband, who beamed from ear to ear as he offered her his arm. “People seemed to be congratulating Peter and Harriet on their nuptials,” Miranda says.

Harriet looked radiant in a Suzannah London dress and a Jane Taylor London hat, accessorised with Jimmy Choo shoes, a bespoke Anya Hindmarch purse and jewellery from Pragnell, the jeweller that made her wedding tiara. The couple were later seen smiling together over champagne in the royal box.

In expert hands 

It wouldn’t be a royal racing festival without the former Olympic equestrian Zara Tindall in attendance. Zara, 45, looked radiant in a custom pink Rebecca Vallance dress and Kiki McDonough earrings, while her husband, former England rugby international Mike, 47, wore custom Gieves & Hawkes morning wear. 

“The King was clearly delighted to see Zara and Mike, and took off his top hat to give Zara a kiss,” Miranda says, adding that Mike bowed and dropped his top hat to the King to reveal a smaller top hat inside – a prank he had played on Queen Elizabeth II at Ascot in 2019. “It was a delight to see the King and Mike smiling together.” 

The racing proved disappointing for the King and Queen, who watched from the royal box as their horse finished last in the Ascot Stakes on the opening day, despite having been tipped as the favourite to win. 

When asked about the appeal of Ascot by ITV Racing, Camilla replied: “I love it,” lamenting the losses by two of her horses in the races. “You can but hope,” she added.

“It’s the best of British, really, isn’t it?” she said of the racing festival. “It doesn’t matter whether you love horses or don’t know much about them… you come here for a really good day to experience a bit of fun, the best racing in the world, the best horses and the elegant women.

“With the world we live in, it’s wonderful just to get away and enjoy yourself, and that’s what Ascot does. You get the pageantry and the procession – I love it. It’s five days of pleasure.”

The Queen certainly won in the style stakes, later donning a white buttoned coat dress and a handbag by Dior, teamed with a Philip Treacy hat and the Williamson pink diamond flower brooch, which was made by Cartier for Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. She followed up this look with a pale-green crepe silk coat dress by Fiona Clare, a Philip Treacy hat and a diamond oyster brooch. 

Princess Anne, who is renowned for revisiting her outfits, opted for sustainable style on the second day in a pastel-pink skirt suit that she first wore to Ascot 25 years ago, with the addition of a horse brooch she had donned on the opening day of the races.

Royal Ascot is known for its strict rules when it comes to race-day dressing, and the Duchess of Edinburgh, 61, surprised some onlookers in her black silk Suzannah London dress, worn with a Jane Taylor London hat and a Sophie Habsburg bag. Historically, the colour is reserved for a period of mourning or a black-tie evening event. 

A more traditional look followed the next day, as Sophie wore a blue Suzannah London dress accented with a statement pearl necklace designed by her husband, the Duke, 62, who joined her at the racecourse ahead of their 27th wedding anniversary last Friday.

The Duchess of Gloucester, 80, flew the flag for the monarch’s charity The King’s Foundation, which is dedicated to the preservation of traditional crafts. She wore a hat created by Finley Howie, a graduate of this year’s Chanel and The King’s Foundation Métiers d’Art Millinery Fellowship in partnership with Le19M and the winner of the Royal Ascot bursary for 2026.

“It was one I made right at the beginning of the course,” Finley told HELLO! of the piece the Duchess wore on the opening day. “She got me to take off the flowers, actually, so it’s simple – it’s clean, elegant. I was going to remake it in a different colour, but she liked that.”

A-list glamour

Away from the royals, big names from the world of showbusiness dusted off their finery and put on their best hats to make their own Ascot appearances.

In a moving tribute to her late father, Ozzy Osbourne, Kelly Osbourne wore a black hat in the shape of a bat. The rocker, who died aged 76 last July, became associated with the animal when he notoriously bit off the head of a live bat during a concert in 1982.

Kelly, 41 – who recently split from her fiance, Sid Wilson, the father of her three-year-old son, Sidney – teamed the unique creation with a black dress by Karen Millen and Gina shoes. 

“My hat is designed by my favourite milliner, two women from London – they’re called Hood,” she said as she arrived for day one of the races. “It’s incredible, I’ve got to say – it’s an ode to my father. I actually stole this bag from my mom’s closet this morning. It’s Chanel.”

As she has done for the past few years, the former I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! winner Georgia Toffolo attended every day of the races, dressing in one stylish outfit after another. The star, who has also appeared on Made in Chelsea, took to social media to document her sartorial moves, which included an off-the-shoulder cream dress from My Wardrobe, Prada shoes and a Beazley Millinery hat. “Day 2… and the dress of my Ascot dreams,” she wrote on Instagram.

The American actress Vanessa Williams, currently starring as Miranda Priestly in the West End production of The Devil Wears Prada, opted for a chic burnt-orange Edeline Lee dress, teamed with a Lock & Co Hatters hat, Christian Louboutin shoes and a Tyler Ellis clutch bag.

“I don’t know if this is very Miranda or not. I feel very me in this, but my attitude towards everyone walking by is very Miranda,” she said. “I would say that about 80% nailed it and the other 20%… tried very hard. I’ve seen a lot of ladies hobbling in shoes that are not comfortable. I see you, gals.”

The designer Jade Holland Cooper is another famous name who revels in making multiple trips to Ascot, wowing on the second day in a polka-dot gown from her own brand, Holland Cooper.

“I felt so incredibly lucky to see Catherine, Princess of Wales, and William, Prince of Wales, looking so elegant alongside the King and Queen at Royal Ascot,” she wrote on Instagram.

Elsewhere, James Blunt and his wife, Sofia Wellesley, enjoyed a romantic day out together. The singer wore a traditional top hat and tails, while his wife of 11 years looked chic in a green and pink hat.

Two more couples who enjoyed a date at the event were the former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner, wearing her signature white, and her husband, the former Formula 1 executive Christian Horner, plus the content creator Lydia Millen and her husband, Ali Gordon.

Dressed to impress 

Lydia was elegant in a pink dress by Sassi Holford, paired with a hat by Jane Taylor London and shoes by Emmy London. “We’ve matched our outfits,” she said of her and Ali’s looks. “The neck area [of my dress] is inspired by my garden, and I wanted to go in pink as it’s Ladies Day and I feel as though this is such a celebration of all things lovely.”

Also in celebration mode were the Bridgerton actress Golda Rosheuvel, who was photographed on the opening day in a blue taffeta dress with a patchwork denim jacket, and Maura Higgins, who wore a striking custom-made white outfit.

“A wonderful day at Royal Ascot,” Golda wrote on social media, posting a series of images of herself posing alongside fellow stars including Kelly Osbourne and Dame Mary Berry.

Others who were spotted enjoying a day at the races included Lord Lloyd-Webber, Mary Earps, Charlotte Hawkins, Joel Dommett and Emma Louise Connolly. 

Meanwhile, the actor Stanley Tucci added a touch of Hollywood flair to the carriage procession on day three, travelling down the racecourse with his wife, the literary agent Felicity Blunt, and Lord and Lady Cavendish. The Devil Wears Prada actor, dressed in full morning suit and top hat, waved to racegoers from his spot in the horse-drawn carriage. 

The actor’s inclusion in the procession demonstrates his growing friendship with the King. Last year, he organised a dinner with a focus on sustainable food at Highgrove, the monarch’s residence in Gloucestershire, and later attended the annual awards ceremony for The King’s Foundation. 

Felicity’s clients have included the late author Dame Jilly Cooper, who was a dear friend of the Queen.