Princess of Wales wows Royal Ascot crowds in striking red dress

The Princess of Wales wowed Royal Ascot with a striking red dress when she joined the King and Queen for a day at the races.

Kate was cheered by racegoers whey they spotted her on the big screen taking part in the traditional royal carriage procession with the Prince of Wales.

The future King and Queen were making their first appearance of the week at the famous Berkshire meet, where high fashion rubs shoulders with the racing world.

And Kate caught the eye of the fashion conscious with a red dress by Alexander McQueen and a matching Philip Treacy hat, while William, like the other royal men, looked smart in a morning suit and top hat.

The couple live close to the racecourse, having moved to their four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage in Windsor’s Home Park last year, to offer their children more freedom away from central London.

They were spotted on Thursday with eldest son Prince George at William’s former school Eton College, prompting speculation the young royal, who turns 10 next month, will follow in the footsteps of his father.

William and Kate were guests of the late Queen a number of times at Royal Ascot, a racecourse the monarch had a great affinity with and where she had more than 20 winners.

Charles and Camilla appeared ecstatic when their thoroughbred Desert Hero, an 18-1 longshot, won the King George V Stakes on Thursday – their first Royal Ascot win – and they have another chance of victory when Candle of Hope rides later in the Sandringham Stakes.

They were joined in the carriage procession by actress Dame Judi Dench, the Duchess of Edinburgh, and Princess Beatrice and her husband Edo Mapelli Mozzi.

When the King and Queen and their guests stepped down from the carriages in the parade ring, they mingled with trainers and jockeys ahead of the first race and popular rider Frankie Dettori walked over and chatted with William.

Dettori had a number of rides this week on horses owned by the King and Queen and failed to win but he put his racetrack frustrations behind him when he won the big race of the meet – the Gold Cup on Thursday.

After his chat with William, he won the first race of the day on Porta Fortuna and performed his trademark celebration jumping from his horse.

The prince and princess soon returned to the parade ring to present the trophy in the Commonwealth Cup won by Shaquille.