King Charles has delighted racegoers by kicking off his first Royal Ascot as monarch following an emotional tribute to his late mother.
The King travelled in the traditional procession and tipped his top hat to waving spectators alongside Queen Camilla, who opted for a cream outfit and matching hat.
They were joined by their close friends and lesser-known royals, the Duke and Duchess of Wellington, in the same carriage.
The other carriages included Charles' sister Princess Anne in green along with Camilla's sister Annabel Elliot, her son former Conservative party chairman Sir Ben Elliot and his wife Mary Clare, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Meanwhile, the King's beloved niece Zara Tindall and her husband Mike have also been spotted at the first day of the race meeting, which runs until Saturday.
Zara looked summery in a floral dress with a boater-style hat and happily posed with Mike for photographers before greeting her uncle with a kiss on the cheeks.
Princess Beatrice also attended the first day along with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, as well as Camilla's son Tom Parker Bowles.
A few celebs have also been spotted - with ex-Lioness and Queen of the Jungle Jill Scott chatting with I’m A Celeb campmate Mike Tindall as the royals arrived.
Before their arrival an emotional montage was played paying tribute to the late Queen - a stalwart of the event. She had 24 winners and first attended Ascot on June 17 1953, just two weeks after her Coronation.
Video played on a big screen in the royal enclosure remembered her Ascot highlights - including the time she famously beamed with joy when her horse won the Gold Cup in 2013.
Writing in programme notes, Charles also paid tribute to his mum. He said: "The Royal Meeting always played a central role in Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s calendar and the naming of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes will be a most appropriate way to mark this lifelong interest."
He explained how a photographic exhibition would also celebrate his mum’s association with Royal Ascot, and would include images of some of her 24 winners.
Grandstand will also celebrate the late Queen’s close association with Royal Ascot, including images of some of her 24 winners.
It appears Charles and Camilla, who have taken on the late monarch’s thoroughbreds, will be carrying on her tradition and have entered a string of horses over the next five days.
John Warren, the King and Queen's racing and bloodstock adviser, said: "We are hopeful the King and Queen will race through the week and they will be very much following their runners.
"They are really very much looking forward to a wonderful week’s racing, which is tremendous. Everyone is excited by their participation and the fact they are really engaged and looking forward to it.
"The King understands the bigger picture. He is more than interested in racing. It is something he’d heard in osmosis all his life.
"What with the Queen’s enthusiasm, racing is lucky to have two great advocates, people who are engaged in the sport we all love."
Racing’s poster boy Frankie Dettori, in his last year in the saddle before retirement, will wear the famous royal purple and scarlet colours at least twice this week, and said he would "love nothing better" than to ride a winner for the King and Queen at Royal Ascot.
He is competing six times today but fell just short in his opener at 2.30 as Triple Time stormed to victory.
In years gone by, not only did punters at the racecourse and watching at home stake money on the horse racing, but another popular and fun bet also concerned the late Queen.
It would see people having a flutter trying to guess what colour hat the late monarch would be wearing thanks to her love of bright colours.
Many Royal Ascot fans had wondered if the betting on the colours of royal hats would still go ahead this year - and it appears it most certainly will.
Bookmaker Ladbrokes said it will be offering odds for punters wanting to guess the colour of Camilla's hat - although it is unknown whether it will remain an ever popular flutter.
Nicola McGeady, Head of PR at Ladbrokes told the Mirror: "Punters have long gambled on the colour of the Queen's hat.
"It is a traditional, fun flutter that has been a part of Royal Ascot for a very long time.
"With the torch being passed to Queen Camilla, we will keep offering odds on what colour she wears on all five days. Whether it remains as popular a bet remains to be seen."
