Punters and royal fans will be hoping the Queen will be in attendance as Royal Ascot begins today (June 14), but she will miss the first day.
Royal Ascot is said to be one of the Queen's favourite events of the year, with her own horses frequently running in the races.
In 2013, the Queen's horse Estimate gained a narrow victory in the 2013 Gold Cup, Ascot's main and most prestigious race. The overjoyed monarch was shown watching on from the stands, with the crowd enjoying the scenes.
Royal enthusiasts will be hoping to see similar pictures this year, but her attendance is in doubt due to her age and recent health scares. Buckingham Palace has cited " episodic mobility problems " as the reason behind Her Majesty being unable to attend a number of key engagements, such as the State Opening of Parliament.
So will the Queen attend Royal Ascot?
Will the Queen be at Royal Ascot?
We don't know if the Queen will be at Royal Ascot this year at all this year, and it has been confirmed she will miss the first day.
It appears doctors are assessing her for big events on a day-by-day basis.
What might work in the favour of the Queen, 96, is that the Berkshire racecourse is a mere 15-minute drive away from Windsor Castle. It could be an ideal day out if she is keen to attend an event soon.
Friday's Hampton Court Stakes will see the Queen's horse Reach For The Moon take part, rerouted from the Epsom Derby earlier this month to Ascot. Three-year-old filly Perfect Alibi and five-year-old gelding King’s Lynn are also intended starters during the big week.
Last year, the Queen attended the fifth day of the event and if she does the same this year, she will appear on Saturday June 18.
Her Majesty appeared over the Platinum Jubilee weekend earlier this month in what was a gruelling four-day weekend and she was reported to be resting at her now-permanent home of Windsor as a result.
A combination of good weather and no Covid restrictions is sure to make the event a must-attend, but fans may have to settle for another royal representative for the event instead if she cannot go.
Who will stand in for the Queen at Ascot?
If the Queen does not attend Royal Ascot, the most likely replacement appears to be her daughter, Princess Anne. It has been reported that she has asked other royals to represent her at the event on the first day.
The Princess Royal knows a thing or two about horses, having competed in the Olympics in Montreal in 1976 in eventing.
Anne, accompanied by husband Sit Timothy Laurence, stepped in for her mother at another of the horse racing calendar's important events, the Epsom Derby, in early June.
Anne's daughter Zara Phillips also watched the sporting action live, in the company of her husband Mike Tindall.
