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OFF TO THE RACES

The Strict Dress Code Behind King Charles’ Royal Ascot Look

The rare style protocols, unknown to most Americans, are reserved for the most formal daytime events.

Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

PublishedJun 16, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT

UpdatedJun 16, 2026, 4:05 PM EDT

Updated Jun 16, 2026, 4:05 PM EDTPublished Jun 16, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT

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Royal Ascot kicked off on Tuesday, and the royals in attendance dressed accordingly.

The annual five-day festival is held at the Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, England. It began in 1711, when Queen Anne founded Ascot Racecourse, and has been attended by members of the British Royal Family ever since.

On June 16, racehorse enthusiasts King Charles III, 77, and Queen Camilla, 78, attended the first day of the event, where they appeared to be in good spirits.

The couple, who own and breed horses, looked visibly excited as they watched the race from the Royal Enclosure.

To sit in the Royal Enclosure—the most prestigious viewing area at Royal Ascot—one must be personally invited, sponsored by two members of the enclosure, and approved by King Charles’s personal representative.

While other Royal Ascot guests typically wear formal attire, those in the ultra-elite Royal Enclosure must adhere to “morning dress,” a formal dress code unfamiliar to most outside of the United Kingdom.

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In this instance, King Charles wore a light gray tailcoat and matching dress pants, layered over a cream-colored vest with a chain and a blue dress shirt with a white collar.

He accessorized with a black top hat, also referred to as a “topper,” according to Ascot, a light pink-and-blue patterned tie, a Union Jack flag pinned to the center of his tie, and black Oxford shoes.

He picked a pink, white, and blue patterned pocket square for Tuesday’s festivities and adorned his lapel with a bright blue cornflower boutonniere beside a golden brooch.

Cornflower—which grows at King Charles’s countryside residence, Highgrove House—is a symbolic accent featured in many of Charles’s outfits.

Morning Dress, Explained: A Brief Guide to the Formal Daytime Dress Code

Morning dress is reserved for the most formal occasions held before 6 p.m., such as royal weddings and highly prestigious social events.

White tie, which is reserved for royal engagements and state dinners, calls for tailcoats, bow ties, and ball gowns. It is stricter than the better-known black-tie dress code—often incorrectly presumed by Americans to be the most formal level of evening wear—which allows for cocktail-length dresses and standard tuxedos.

For men, morning dress means a single-breasted tailcoat and formal trousers—traditionally in the spongebag style. The ensemble should also include a dress shirt, a vest, a tie, and a top hat, according to British menswear label Oliver Brown.

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Traditionally, the outfit also included a cane, but the royal family has opted for hooked-handle umbrellas.

For women, the dress code typically calls for a dress with a conservative neckline and straps on both shoulders, each at least one inch wide (in other words, one-shoulder or off-the-shoulder need not apply, but sleeves or thick tank straps are OK). The hem can be no shorter than just above the knee. A trouser suit that meets the same criteria is also acceptable.

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At most events calling for morning dress, women must wear a hat or a fascinator. However, in the Royal Enclosure at Royal Ascot, women over 17 must wear a hat, not a fascinator, according to Ascot.

On June 16, Queen Camilla’s look included a long-sleeved tailored light blue dress, a matching hat, and a white clutch.

She paired the look with the same cap-toe Chanel pumps and Cullinan V diamond brooch she wore for Royal Ascot in 2025.

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