The King felt the heat in more ways than one on the fourth day of Royal Ascot. As temperatures at the Berkshire racecourse soared to 28C, King Charles, 77, was not only sweltering in a full suit but also received a sweet peck on the cheek from his niece Zara Tindall. A photograph captured the moment Zara, the daughter of Princess Anne, blew her uncle a kiss in the Royal Box, a gesture of affection that stood out amid the pageantry.
Zara, wearing a black-and-white polka-dot outfit, had chosen not to join the royal carriage procession for the day – a privilege reserved for the King and Queen and guests such as the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, whom Charles had invited to travel in the open-top carriage. The invitation came a day after Hollywood star Stanley Tucci had made a surprise appearance at the event.
“Zara Tindall blows King Charles a kiss as he swelters in 28C heat on day four of Royal Ascot.”
Queen Camilla, dressed in a sky-blue long-sleeved dress with matching hat and a silver-and-blue brooch, led the procession alongside Charles. The royal couple have taken on the late Queen Elizabeth’s role as racing’s most high-profile supporters and are expected to attend every day of the five-day meet. However, their luck on the track has been mixed. After seeing two of her horses well beaten earlier in the week, Camilla admitted to ITV Racing: “You can but hope.” They have yet to secure a winner this year; the Mirror noted that the King and Queen “patiently wait for the first winner at Royal Ascot in 2026.” Their first victory since inheriting the stable came in 2023 when Desert Hero won the King George V Stakes.
Despite the uncertainty on the turf, the Queen was effusive about the event’s charm. When asked about Ascot’s enduring appeal, she said: “Well it’s the best of British really, isn’t it. I mean it doesn’t matter whether you love horses, don’t know much about horses, you come here for a really good day to experience a bit of fun, the best racing in the world, the best horses – the elegant women. And I think, the world we live in, it’s wonderful just to get away and enjoy yourself and that’s what Ascot does. You get the pageantry and the procession – I love it, it’s five days of pleasure.”
As the sun beat down on the Royal Box, the King and Queen hosted guests including the Princess of Wales’ parents Carole and Michael Middleton, Princess Anne, and Zara Tindall. The afternoon’s highlight may have been the warm exchange between uncle and niece – a moment of family affection in the midst of the racing season’s grandest spectacle.