
Hats off —
If you thought Royal Ascot was just about horse racing... think again.

Royal reception —
The prestigious five-day racing festival opens with Queen Elizabeth II parading around the track in an elegant horse-drawn carriage.

Family affair —
And she's not the only Royal making a grand entrance, with son Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and grandson, Prince Harry, donning top hats for the occasion.

Ladies' day —
Day Three of the meet is traditionally Ladies' Day, when the designer dresses and millinery masterpieces are just as much a focus as the horse racing. Princess Anne and Princess Beatrice (pictured) show them how it's done.

Mind-bending millinery —
Hats are an essential part of the race-goer's outfit, from dramatic Hepburn-style sweeping brims, to whacky home-made works of art. This pom pom head piece might not be to everyone's taste, but earns full marks for creativity.

Tea time —
Ascot's plush Royal Enclosure viewing area offers five-day tickets for a whopping $560. Fashion protocol is similarly steep -- women must wear hats, or failing that, a headpiece with a 10-centimeter base. Fascinators -- small ornaments attached to a headband -- are a no-no.

Fashion peacocks —
In comparison, the Silver Ring Enclosure, which offers $45 daily tickets, simply requires its racegoers to wear smart clothes, with a reminder that "bare chests are not permitted at any time."

Fashion stakes —
"Horse racing's roots as the 'sport of kings' obviously suggest a pleasure pastime for the elite," Willie Walters, the fashion course director at London's Central Saint Martins college of art and design, told CNN.

See and be seen —
"In the past this would have been, depending on the monarch, an opportunity for either ostentatious displays or relatively tasteful, yet expensive, modesty," she added.

Grand tradition —
Queen Elizabeth II will be present for the entire five-day meeting, but it was her predecessor Queen Anne who founded Ascot racecourse in 1711. The venue's links with high society have remained intact ever since.

Fun day out —
Tradition looms large at the 300-year-old horse race. Of the 280,000 people who attend Ascot each year, just 12,000 can be found hobnobbing in the plush Royal Enclosure each day -- but it's not the only place to have fun on the track.

On track —
Of course, that's not to dismiss the highlight of Ladies' Day...

Hats off to Royal Ascot —
... the Gold Cup. This year's race was won by Leading Light, ridden by jockey Joseph O'Brien.

One is gracious in defeat —
Not everyone will be pleased with the result though. Leading Light narrowly beat the Queen's own horse and reigning champion, Estimate. Still, Her Majesty put on a brave face while awarding the trophy.

Jumping for joy —
One jockey jumping for joy was Italian jockey Frankie Dettori after winning the Norfolk Stakes atop Baitha Alga, earlier in the day.