It is a centrepiece of Britain’s social calendar, a place where pageantry, fashion and thoroughbred animals have come to be part of the mix since Queen Anne first saw its potential as a racecourse 300 years ago.
Yet after organisers at Royal Ascot decided that sartorial standards have been on the slide in recent times, not even her descendents are being spared a clampdown that could end the wearing of fascinators in the royal enclosure.
The item of headgear, often favoured by the Duchess of Cambridge, is under threat as part of a move to tighten and clarify the dress code at the annual summer event, which also happens to be the Queen’s favourite race meet.
Nick Smith, a spokesman for Ascot, said: “It is stretching a point to say standards have collapsed but there is no doubt that our customers would like to get back to a situation where it is universally acknowledged that this is a formal occasion and not an occasion where you might dress as you would at a nightclub.
“It is probably fair to say that the dress code hasn’t necessarily been enforced quite as rigorously as we might have liked.”
Along with the royals, thousands of visitors who flock to the less formal grandstand enclosure during the week-long meet in June will also be obliged to adhere to strict new guidelines. The less formal Silver Ring is not expected to be affected by the changes.
A new dress code states: “Hats should be worn; a headpiece which has a base of four inches (10cm) or more in diameter is acceptable as an alternative to a hat.”
Women will also be expected to wear skirts or dresses of “modest length” that fall just above the knee or longer.
This clarifies previous guidance which stated that miniskirts were “considered unsuitable”.
For men, a waistcoat and tie are now compulsory in this area of the course and cravats will not be allowed. Black shoes must also be worn with morning dress.
Although rules on the wearing of fascinators in the royal enclosure will be tightened, a hat or fascinator will be compulsory for women in the grandstand, which is open to the public and subject to less stringent rules.
The move comes amid criticism of sartorial standards, often led by some press coverage bemoaning the supposed display of too much flesh at race meets, and marks a significant change to previous years, when female race-goers were advised that “many ladies wear hats”.
Strapless or sheer-strap tops and dresses will be banned. For men, a suit and tie will now be imperative.
Charles Barnett, Ascot’s chief executive, said the overarching intention was to be “as helpful as possible” to visitors and to assist racegoers in understanding what is “cherished” about the dress code at Royal Ascot. “It isn’t a question of elitism and not being modern in a world where there is less and less requirement to dress smartly – far from it,” he said.
“We want to see modern and stylish dress at Royal Ascot, just within the parameters of formal wear, and the feedback we have received from our customers overwhelmingly supports that.”
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