King Charles and Queen Camilla Grace Royal Ascot

King Charles and Queen Camilla have joined thousands of racegoers at Royal Ascot as the five-day-long event gets going with the weather smiling on proceedings.

Sunshine bathed the Berkshire course as the royal couple led the carriage procession onto the site for the first day of the annual event. "We hope that those here at the racecourse and watching from home will enjoy five days of the finest racing that this sport has to offer," they wrote in the official programme.

With racegoers bringing a cavalcade of colors, the Queen was prominent in cobalt blue among the stylish punters, many sporting hats from the super-stylish to the outlandish for which the racing festival is famous.

The royals added a poignant touch, inviting a royal relative whose husband tragically died earlier this year to join the carriage procession. Lady Gabriella Kingston's husband Thomas Kingston, a war hero and financier, was found dead at the age of just 45 at his parents' mansion earlier this year.

She took part in the procession alongside Charles' sister Princess Anne, and his nephew Peter Phillips, while the Duke and Duchess of Wellington joined the king and queen in their carriage.

Other notable attendees in the carriage procession include Charles' racing manager John Warren and Camilla's sister Annabel and her son Sir Ben Elliot. Not in the carriage procession but attending the race meeting today were Mike and Zara Tindall, with Zara giving Lady Gabriella a huge hug on seeing her.

The high-fashion event, which takes place on Saturday, June 22.

The late Queen was a passionate owner and breeder of thoroughbreds, and had more than 20 Royal Ascot winners during her 70-year reign. Traditionally, the King and Queen arrive at Royal Ascot in a carriage procession with their guests, a convention which will reach its 200th anniversary next year, as it was first held in 1825 during the reign of King George IV.