King Charles III leads Royal Ascot festivities

King Charles III and Queen Camilla attended Royal Ascot in style this week, arriving in a horse-drawn open carriage. (AFP photo)

Dressed in their finest frocks and hats of various shades, onlookers at the opening day of the five-day racing festival in Berkshire, southeast England, on Tuesday applauded as the royals passed by. (AP photo)

Camilla donned a striking cobalt-blue dress paired with a wide-brimmed matching hat, while Charles wore a formal gray suit and top hat. (AFP photo)

In this year’s official program, the royal couple paid a touching tribute to the late Queen’s passion for horses and wished this year’s participants the best of luck in the upcoming races. (AP photo)

Last year’s Royal Ascot featured an unexpected victory for Charles, as his horse, Desert Hero, overcame 18 to 1 odds to secure first place. Francis Brooke, Charles’ representative at Ascot, described the win as the “highlight of the week,” noting that Hero triumphed in “thrilling style.” (AP photo)

Brooke announced that this year's event will feature a race named in tribute to the King. "We are thrilled to rename our top five-furlong sprint in honor of His Majesty The King," he stated. (Reuters photo)

According to the Jockey Club, another horse belonging to Charles and inherited from the late Queen raced in the Betfred Oaks at Epsom Downs last month, finishing 11th out of 12. (AFP photo)

The royal family's affinity for horses has united generations, spanning from Queen Anne's era in the 18th century when Royal Ascot was established, to the present day. It's even rumored that Camilla first met Charles at a polo match in Windsor in 1970. (Reuters photo)