Royal Ascot

Posted on 2016/06/17 22:47:08 (June 2016).

[Wednesday 15th June 2016]
Having been required to wear a morning suit for Al and Charlotte's wedding last summer, I had at the time made the possibly rash decision to buy one rather than just rent one, thinking that I'd end up with something a bit nicer that way, and I'd hopefully have cause to wear it again at some point in the future.

I may have had a fair old wait for another wedding at which I'd need one though, so instead, earlier this year, I'd starting looking into the traditional English social season, and in particular the events which require morning dress. It turns out there are only really two - The Derby at Epsom, should you be in the Queen's Stand, and Royal Ascot, should you be in the Royal Enclosure. Whilst at the Derby anyone who happens to be able to get their hands on a top hat can just pay for a ticket and get into the Queen's Stand, at Royal Ascot, in theory at least, the Royal Enclosure operates as a private member's club, and access for non-members is only by invitation from an existing member, who has been going for at least four years. I don't know anybody who fits this bill, so I instead looked for workarounds to this policy and discovered that, gratifyingly, the application of an eye watering sum of money for a hospitality package can obviate the need for such social connections.

So this morning, after dropping Erika off at nursery, Chie and I got changed into our finest attire, and got on the train to Ascot.

On the upside of having shelled out for a lavish hospitality package, we had a base for the day - the Wyndham Club in the Royal Enclosure gardens - which meant we had our own table throughout the proceedings, with an endless supply of Champagne and a surprisingly nice lunch and afternoon tea. Having had to rather unceremoniously resort to eating a bland sandwich from a cardboard triangle at the Derby, the five course fine dining at Ascot was all the more appreciated. My main course contained morels as well, of which I'm a great fan.

I absolutely loved our day at Royal Ascot. Funny really, considering we'd actually been on a work jolly 13 (!) years ago, and back then I'd been very much of a take it or leave it sort of opinion... but back then I had no real interest in sartorial matters, nor the fascination I now have with high society. I would probably have felt at best disinterested or perhaps even slightly intimidated by the Royal Enclosure crowd back then. Now though there seemed to be an air of magic about them, and to be able to walk among them, not even feeling particularly out of place was very gratifying. Whilst my morning suit is off the peg, it certainly looked a lot sharper than a lot off the hired outfits present, and my beautiful antique top hat was a source of immense pride throughout the day. Given that it is probably late Victorian who knows, maybe this isn't even its first outing at Royal Ascot?

The weather was quite mixed, and the betting was a complete washout - none of our horses even placed. But I didn't care a jot, I was having a thoroughly delightful time quaffing an endless supply of Champagne and drinking in the wonderfully refined atmosphere.

Alas the day did eventually come to an end, and it was time to go home. Having read that the trains on the way home can be a bit of a bunfight, and having seen the atmosphere deteriorate a bit after the Derby earlier in the month, plus also wanting to make it back for Erika's bedtime, I'd booked a chauffeur to drive us home. This made for a very comfortable and civilised end to the day, and got us back home in plenty of time for me to read Erika a bedtime story, still wearing my morning suit.

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