Royal Ascot was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne.
Queen Anne established the meeting after identifying suitable open heath near Windsor Castle for horse racing. The first race was a four-mile contest held on 11 August 1711, with a purse of 100 guineas. This event began the long association between Ascot and the British royal family.
The meeting later developed into a multi-day festival featuring some of Britain’s most prestigious races. The Royal Procession, in which members of the royal family arrive in horse-drawn carriages, remains one of its best-known traditions.
Modern Royal Ascot is not the same event as the original single-race meeting. Its program now includes Group 1 races such as the Queen Anne Stakes, the King Charles III Stakes and the Gold Cup. The racecourse itself is in Berkshire, southwest of London, close to Windsor.