Prince William and Catherine Make Surprise Appearance at Royal Ascot

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Catherine, made a surprise appearance on day four of the Royal Ascot event on Friday.

The couple led the Royal Family in the carriage processional at the famous British horse riding event.

Dressed in a top hat and tail coat, William looked dashing, while Catherine wore a brown and white polka dot dress by Alessandra Rich and a hat featuring floral details on top by Sally Anne Proven.

The couple rode in the first carriage that appeared at the top of the course and travelled along the famous track.

Catherine accessorised with South Sea Pearl earrings that belonged to her mother-in-law, Diana, who wore the jewels on many occasions during the 1990s.

This marked a first for the royal couple, who have never been in a first carriage as part of the Ascot Royal procession.

Members of the Royal Family usually make appearances in the first three days of the five-day event.

Prince Charles and Camilla attended the first two days of the event, leading the Royal procession in the first carriage.

They left an empty space in the carriage as a sign of respect for the Queen, who was absent from the races.

For Friday's event, William and Catherine decided to invite two special guests to share the carriage with them: the Honourable Arthur George Vestey, whose late father served as master of the horse to the Queen, and his wife Martha.

The couple received praise for their kind gesture to the Queen, with Royal commentator Richard Eden describing it as “lovely.”

On their way to the racecourse, William and Catherine were spotted chatting and in deep conversation with their guests.

The couple had to deal with the blustery weather, as Catherine and William were forced to make sure their hats remained in place as they nearly became displaced.

The only other member of the Royal Family to take part in the procession that day was Princess Anne's son, Peter Phillips.

He was in the company of his new girlfriend, Lindsay Wallace, and they shared the carriage with the Duke and Duchess of Bedford.

Eagle-eyed Royal fans were quick to express their excitement at the couple's appearance, with one fan writing on social media, “Thank God for William and Catherine, what a heart-warming sight of the beautiful couple.”

William and Catherine's appearance on the penultimate day of the Royal Ascot comes as the couple prepares for a busy summer.

On June 21st, William celebrates his milestone fortieth birthday, and the Cambridge family is planning a big move this summer.

They are relocating from their London home at Kensington Palace to a new residence some 30 miles away in Berkshire, the county that houses the Queen's primary residence, Windsor Castle.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte will leave their London prep school, Thomas's Battersea, at the end of the current term and enrol in a school in the Windsor area.

It has been widely reported that the family will occupy Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor estate.

One notable absentee from the Royal Ascot on Friday was the Queen, who has yet to attend the racecourse this year.

It was the fourth day in a row that the 96-year-old monarch was absent from the festival, which is one of her favourite events of the year.

Palace sources aren't able to say if she will be able to attend until the hours beforehand due to her ongoing mobility issues.

The Queen, who has a well-known love of horses, has attended every single Royal Ascot for the last seven decades and often has her own horses competing.

The only exception was in 2020 when the famous event was held behind closed doors for the first time in history amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the start of the race event on Tuesday, the Queen issued a statement in the events programme, welcoming the full-capacity crowds back to the course for the first time since 2019.

She praised the planting of new trees close to the course in tribute to her Jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne.

Overall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's surprise appearance at the Royal Ascot was a delightful gesture that added to the excitement of the event.

With their busy summer ahead, it was a lovely moment for the couple to share together and with their special guests.