It was Queen Anne (1665-1714) who, in 1711, spotted Ascot Heath’s potential for horse racing and arranged for the first ‘Ascot races’ on this piece of Crown land, next to Windsor Great Park in Berkshire. These were very popular; even more so after King George IV (1762-1830) expanded and improved the spectator facilities. The annual ‘Royal Ascot‘ week became a glamorous top-notch social highlight. It is also the most prestigious flat racing event on the calendar.

For five days every June, around 300,000 well-turned-out visitors don their hats, suits and best frocks to enjoy the atmosphere and catch a glimpse of the Queen in the daily horse-drawn royal procession. A multitude of helicopters, limousines and coaches descend upon the 179-acre venue and a massive catering operation clicks into gear, during which some 120,000 scones and 2,650lbs of clotted cream are consumed, along with 56,000 bottles of champagne. The third day is unofficially known as Ladies’ Day, every milliner’s dream.

The royal connection is reflected in the names of the races ~ the Coronation Stakes, the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, the Queen’s Vase and the Commonwealth Cup, for example. The Queen’s own horses regularly participate and she has had many successes, including the filly ‘Estimate’ winning the 2013 Gold Cup.

(Top image: James Emmans at geograph.org.uk / CC BY-SA 2.0)

Having a similar format to the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games began life in 1930 as the British Empire Games and went through a few name changes until the current style was adopted in 1978. The Games, nicknamed ‘the Friendly Games’, take place every four years in one of the Commonwealth member countries. Wales has hosted it once, Scotland thrice and England twice, with a third English event scheduled for 2022.

The constituent nations and dependencies of the United Kingdom send separate teams, so, for example, the Isle of Man has sent its own athletes since 1958 and hosted the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2011.

Also in 1958, when the Games were held in Cardiff, there started the tradition of the Queen’s Baton Relay whereby a message from the Leader of the Commonwealth of Nations ~ formerly Queen Elizabeth II ~ sends a message inside a baton to arrive at the Games’ Opening Ceremony. In 1998 in Kuala Lumpur, the baton arrived outside the stadium atop an elephant!

The host nation helps to choose which sports are included and the variety has gradually increased over the years. Sports such as cricket, netball, lawn bowls, hockey and archery have all made an appearance. Australia has been the most successful participant overall.

(Top image of 2010 badminton team medallists: Doma-w at Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0)