King Charles invited extended family members to Royal Ascot - photos

King Charles shares a close rapport with his cousins


Sophie Winkleman, Queen Camilla, King Charles III, Lady Gabriella Kingston, Thomas Kingston
Updated: 26 June 2023

King Charles and Queen Camilla enjoyed five days of racing at Royal Ascot and were joined by several members of their families at the Berkshire racecourse.

As well as the Prince and Princess of Wales, and his nieces, Princess Beatrice and Zara Tindall, the King also invited members of his extended family into the royal box.

Hear the huge cheer William and Kate received as they arrived at the races in the clip below...

WATCH: William and Kate arrive at Royal Ascot

On the final day of the royal meeting, Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor joined the royal carriage procession.

Lord Frederick is the son of Prince Michael of Kent – a cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Lady Frederick, also known as Sophie Winkleman, is an actress who has starred in Peep Show, Death in Paradise, Sanditon and This is Going to Hurt. She is also the half-sister of Strictly Come Dancing's Claudia Winkleman.

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Sophie arrived at Royal Ascot alongside her husband, Lord Frederick Windsor

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Sophie speaking with Charles after the procession

Looking elegant in a lemon yellow dress from Beulah London, Sophie was seen chatting with Charles and Camilla in the royal box.

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She was also seen joking with Queen Camilla in The Royal Enclosure

Prince Michael of Kent's daughter, Lady Gabriella Kingston, also travelled with her husband, Thomas Kingston, in the third carriage during the royal procession.

Lady Gabriella, who is known as Ella, opted for a cornflower blue dress by Claire Mischevani.

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Lady Gabriella looked lovely in blue

Earlier in the week, Charles was also joined by his maternal cousin, Lady Sarah Chatto and her husband, Daniel Chatto.

Lady Sarah is the daughter of the late Princess Margaret and shares a close bond with her royal relatives. She was among the guests at King Charles and Queen Camilla's coronation in May.

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Lady Sarah Chatto is close to her cousin, Charles

Other extended members of the royal family who attended Royal Ascot last week also included Princess Alexandra's granddaughters – Flora Vesterberg and Zenouska Mowatt.

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Flora Vesterberg and her husband, Timothy

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Zenouska Mowatt is the daughter of Marina Ogilvy and Paul Mowatt

Meanwhile, Queen Camilla was seen chatting with her son, Tom Parker Bowles, in the royal box on the opening day of the annual races last Tuesday.

Also joining Her Majesty on the day in the carriage procession, was her younger sister, Lady Annabel Elliot, and Annabel's son, Sir Ben Elliot.

Camilla's great-nephew, Arthur – Sir Ben Elliot's son – was chosen as one of the Queen's pages at the coronation.

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Camilla's son, Tom Parker Bowles, watches a race with his mother and stepfather

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Lady Annabel Elliot shared a carriage with Princess Anne

Traditionally, the late Queen Elizabeth II would invite all extended members of her family onto the Buckingham Palace balcony at Trooping the Colour – the sovereign's birthday parade.

However, only working members of the family appeared on the balcony to watch the flypast during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations last year, and Charles has followed suit at his coronation and his first Trooping the Colour.

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Only working royals appeared on the main palace balcony at Trooping the Colour

While it seemed that only 14 royals were privileged to watch the flypast from the main balcony, one photograph revealed that six more members of the King's family witnessed the display from a second balcony situated in the inner quadrangle of Buckingham Palace.

They included Flora Vesterberg and her husband Timothy, George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews, Lord Nicholas Windsor, and Lady Gabriella and Thomas Kingston.

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