King and Queen open Royal Ascot as newlyweds steal the show, but two main players are noticeably absent

The British monarchy’s busy summer calendar is in full swing with the King and Queen attending the opening day of Royal Ascot, carrying on a 200-year strong tradition.

King Charles and Queen Camilla were joined by several members of their extended family including newlyweds Peter and Harriet Phillips, two weeks after their wedding.

But there were several noticeable absences making a stark departure from previous years the event has been held.

Two of King Charles’ nieces Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie were missing, despite being regular fixtures at the prestigious racing carnival. The York sisters were last seen with the royal family at the Phillips’ wedding on June 6, however that was a private affair and not a large public spectacle as Royal Ascot.

Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 36, have been keeping a low profile in recent months following the arrest of their father Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, in February, on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

Andrew was banned from Monday’s annual procession of the Order of the Garter ceremony at Windsor Castle after the King removed his brother as a Knight of the Garter last year when his royal titles of prince and Duke of York were also revoked.

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In previous years Andrew had continued to take part in the procession of Knights of the Garter at Windsor, even after his past association with the late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein was revealed. In 2025, Andrew attended the private lunch at the castle. But this year was the first time Andrew was absent from the event altogether.

This year the King was joined by the Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal on Garter Day.

On Tuesday, the King and Queen and Princess Anne returned to the spotlight for Royal Ascot.

Andrew’s daughters were rumoured to have been banned from taking part in the royal carriage procession but they were not seen at all on Tuesday. Last year Princess Beatrice attended day one with her mother Sarah Ferguson while Princess Eugenie was at the event on days four and five.

It is unknown if Beatrice and Eugenie are planning on being at Ascot this year.

Both were absent from Trooping the Colour, the monarch’s official birthday celebrations, in London on Saturday. Instead, they attended the wedding of a friend in Austria.

At Royal Ascot this year, royal watchers had other members of the family to keep them occupied.

The King and Queen lead the carriage procession into the racecourse, seated with the Duke and Duchess of Wellington inside the first carriage.

Princess Anne was joined by her son Peter and his new bride in the second carriage along with Sir Ben Elliot, the son of the Queen’s sister, Annabel Elliot.

Inside the third carriage were the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Danielle de Niese, an Australian-American opera singer, and her husband Gus Christie.

Princess Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall was in the Royal Enclosure with her husband Mike Tindall and was seen curtseying to the King later in the day.

Zara wore a lilac dress by Australian designer Rebecca Vallance, who has been dressing the royal for many years. She accessorised with a hat by Juliette Botterill Millinery and colourful earrings with semi-precious stones by Kiki McDonough, one of the Princess of Wales’ favourite jewellers.

Harriet Phillips, who became a member of the House of Windsor in early June, wore a badge featuring her married name. She chose a pale blue dress by Suzannah London and a Jane Taylor hat. Harriet chose a pair of diamond earrings by Pragnell, the jewellers who made her engagement ring and wedding tiara, which she borrowed.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are expected to attend Royal Ascot later this week. Last year Catherine cancelled her appearance at the event last minute, reportedly due to exhaustion following a busy few days at Trooping the Colour and Garter Day. Since then, she has increased her workload as she continues to recover from cancer and preventative chemotherapy.

Overnight, Prince William and his wife confirmed their eldest son Prince George would soon attend Eton College.

The prince, who will turn 13 on July 22, will begin at the prestigious school in September.

The all-boys boarding school is close to the Wales’ family home in Windsor and the alma mater of his father and uncle, the Duke of Sussex.