Ahead of Royal Ascot 2026, royal fashion expert Monica Marriott-Mills (@themonicaway) gives Horse.Bet her day-one read on what the King and Queen will wear — and where she thinks they might surprise us.
King Charles is tipped for a purple tie on Tuesday’s curtain-raiser — even as the numbers point to blue.
I think everything the Royals do is very considered, and nothing is a coincidence when it comes to their fashion. Between the two, they wear more pared-back colours, and I think there are reasons behind that. It could be a mark of respect to the late Queen, who was known for her vibrant monochromatic looks, and there may be an underlying air of not wanting to overshadow her memory.
The numbers behind it — Horse.Bet’s Royal Ascot Wardrobe Index: a look back at the King and Queen’s previous Royal Ascot appearances.
| Queen Camilla — hat colour | Frequency |
|---|---|
| White | 48% |
| Blue | 28% |
| Yellow | 6% |
| Green | 6% |
| Grey / Silver | 6% |
| Black | 6% |
| King Charles — tie colour | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Blue | 36% |
| Grey / Silver | 36% |
| Pink | 14% |
| Purple | 14% |
What I expect from Queen Camilla
Camilla tends to lean towards pastels, though she’ll occasionally go for a bright blue or an emerald. On day one though, I don’t think she will go for cream or white this time, I reckon she could surprise us and go for a yellow. She also tends to choose form over colour, opting for intricate details like feathers or embroidery, being more playful in the intricacies rather than the shade. White pairs well with a lot of colours, and it suits her colouring. I also think it’s partly to be harmonious with the event and let the jockeys and horses take centre stage.
What I expect from King Charles
The King tends to go for earthy tones, and blue ticks a lot of boxes for him. It’s a very patriotic colour, it is called royal blue for a reason, and it also complements a lot of what Camilla wears, so it doesn’t surprise me at all. It’s also simply a great colour for him, he knows it complements his colouring, and with a big team working on what he wears, they’ll strike that balance between what looks great and what’s appropriate for the occasion.
I think we’ll definitely see a lot of blues again this year. However, I don’t think he’s going to go wild, maybe a very soft sage or a purple. With purple being one of the most royal colours throughout history, I don’t think it would be a huge surprise for him to make an entrance wearing it on day one.
More from Horse.Bet: follow the week’s action with our Royal Ascot racing predictor, find the strongest Royal Ascot free bets and betting offers, or claim a bet365 welcome offer for the opening day.
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