Royal Ascot 2026 arrived in a blaze of sunshine and ceremony, reminding us all that few events do occasion dressing and sporting drama quite like this. For five days, Berkshire played host to a heady mix of thundering hooves, clinking glasses and tailoring so considered it could almost distract from the racing. Almost.
For Favourbrook, the week began before the gates opened. Our annual Royal Ascot preview event at Pall Mall set the tone beautifully, bringing together friends of the brand, familiar faces and guests ahead of the meeting itself. We were delighted to welcome Clare Balding, who hosted the evening alongside Andrew Balding of Kingsclere’s Park House Stables, whose insight and tips set the tone beautifully, along with special guest Frankie Dettori. Garrard adorned the shop with the Gold Cup itself, while Herbert Hall and Silent Pool Gin kept everyone refreshed throughout the evening.
The event was a reminder that Royal Ascot is never simply about race day alone, but the sense of occasion that gathers around it long before the first runner leaves the stalls. It also gave us the pleasure of seeing customers, friends and guests come together in the right spirit: thoughtful dressing, a little anticipation and plenty of conversation about the week ahead.
The Week On Course
Then came the meeting itself.
On the track, the week delivered exactly what was promised. The Gold Cup, Ascot’s great test of stamina, saw Scandinavia dig deep and then some, producing a performance that felt as relentless as it was rousing. Earlier in the week, 50/1 shock Ten Bob Tony wasted little time setting the standard in the Queen Anne Stakes, surging ahead late on to stun the crowds and send into ecstasy those few who had actually put ten bob on him.
Yet, as ever, Royal Ascot was never just about the racing. If anything, it remains a masterclass in how to dress for it. Morning dress may come with rules, but this year there was a clear sense that racegoers were leaning into individuality. Waistcoats carried colour, texture and just a hint of mischief. Silk ties added flourish. Pocket squares were chosen with care rather than habit. Everywhere one looked, there was evidence that personal style was alive and well within the framework of tradition.
Favourbrook At Royal Ascot
As Official Menswear Licensee for the Royal Enclosure, Favourbrook sat comfortably at the centre of it all. We were proud to see so many customers and friends of the brand enjoying the week in Favourbrook, each bringing their own character to the occasion. Morning coats were cut just so, waistcoats held their own in a crowd, and details rewarded a second glance. This was elegance with intent, but never without a sense of enjoyment.
That balance is what continues to make Royal Ascot so compelling. It is one of the few occasions in the calendar where dressing properly is not a sideshow to the event, but part of its pleasure. Yet the best looks never felt costume-like or overworked. More often, they were built on judgement: a pastel double-breasted waistcoat against a black morning coat, a sharply chosen tie, a well-cut trouser with the right break, or a piece of occasionwear that managed to feel distinctive without overwhelming the person wearing it.
The same was true across womenswear. Throughout the week, we were delighted to see ladies in Favourbrook bringing colour, confidence and lightness to the course in equal measure. Occasion coats and dresses brought texture, movement and individuality, often worn with just enough restraint to let the silhouette speak for itself. As ever, the strongest looks were not the loudest, but the ones that felt most assured.
The Campaign On Screen
Royal Ascot 2026 also gave us the pleasure of seeing our latest campaign move beyond the shop and onto the course itself. Trust Your Local Dry Cleaner, directed by Robin Stewart, was warmly received during the season and went on to appear on the big screens at Ascot across the week. It proved a real success, not simply because it travelled so well, but because it captured something true about occasion dressing: however polished the final result may appear, there is often a frantic moment not far beneath the surface.
Seeing the advert at Ascot itself was one of those moments that felt especially satisfying. It sat perfectly within the week, bringing a little wit and a little tension to an occasion that always benefits from both.
The Joy Of Dressing For Ascot
The images here capture the moments that really underline the joy of Royal Ascot. A well-worn morning suit in full stride. A couple dressing together with elegance and ease. Customers enjoying the week in pieces they have made entirely their own. Behind-the-scenes glimpses of the preview evening. Familiar faces, new faces and the sort of well-observed details that tend to linger long after the week itself has passed.
They are proof, if ever it were needed, that while the racing may set the pace, it is the style that lingers just a little longer.
Until Next Year
As the week draws to a close, our congratulations go to all at Royal Ascot for another beautifully staged meeting, and to the riders, trainers, stable teams and all those whose work gives the week its shape, energy and drama.
Royal Ascot has a way of feeling both timeless and fleeting. One spends months preparing for it, then suddenly it is over for another year. Still, that is part of its charm.
And if experience tells us anything, it is that next season will arrive more quickly than expected. We look forward to doing it all again next year.
Royal Ascot returns from 15 to 19 June 2027.
Badges for Royal Ascot 2027 will be available from January, so now is a good time to start planning ahead. We recommend signing up early and looking ahead to another exceptional week of racing, occasion dressing and summer ceremony.
