Chanel, the King, and a £10,000 prize: Ascot hats just got even more fabulous

Royal Ascot just made its most stylish move yet - and it involves Chanel, His Majesty The King, and a £10,000 hat-making bursary.

In a landmark announcement today, Ascot Racecourse revealed it will award an annual bursary of £10,000 to support the rising stars of British millinery, in collaboration with The Chanel and The King’s Foundation Métiers d’Art Millinery Fellowship and Paris’ le19M. 

The initiative aims to keep the centuries-old art of hat-making not only alive, but flourishing, one feathered fascinator at a time. And the timing? Impeccable. The announcement coincides with the 10th anniversary of the Royal Ascot Millinery Collective and Ascot’s debut as a British Fashion Council patron during London Fashion Week. 

This new bursary will be granted to a student graduating from the Chanel and The King’s Foundation Fellowship, a highly skilled 35-week residential course launched in 2024. The programme is based at the Chanel Métiers d’art Training Atelier at Highgrove - yes, the King’s Gloucestershire retreat - and at The King’s Foundation’s creative hub in East London. Students also train with famed Parisian hat-makers Maison Michel and complete UK-based placements with leading industry names.

© Stefan Jakubowski

For the 2025/26 fellowship year, students will also be tasked with creating a Royal Ascot-inspired hat. The winning design will be selected to appear in the 2026 Royal Ascot Millinery Collective - marking its 11th official piece. Expect drama, craftsmanship, and possibly a waiting list.

Royal Ascot 2025 racegoers will also get a first look at the designs from the inaugural class of milliners, as their creations will be exhibited in the Queen Anne Enclosure. “This year has been a landmark moment,” said Felicity Barnard, Chief Executive of Ascot Racecourse. “By supporting this fellowship, we’re proud to champion the future of this art form. Exquisite hats are woven into the very fabric of Royal Ascot’s heritage.”

Daniel McAuliffe, Education Director at The King’s Foundation, echoed the sentiment, “This is such a fantastic opportunity for our talented millinery students… The Royal Family are incredible ambassadors for the craft of millinery, and we’re proud to support its future at the most iconic hat-wearing event of the year.”

If you're attending Ascot this year, don’t just place your bets on the track - keep an eye on the hats. The next Philip Treacy could be in the paddock.