Royal Ascot is not just one of the biggest horse racing events in the UK, but also one of the oldest sporting institutions in the world.
The meeting dates to 1711, when Queen Anne – the first monarch of a unified Great Britain – discovered a clearing near Windsor Castle that she declared would be a good place for horses “to gallop at full stretch.”
Her Majesty’s Plate was contested later that year on 11 August for a princely prize of 100 guineas, and the rest is history.
But just how much history does that actually entail?
To help provide a bit of context, we’ve mapped out some of the most significant historical, cultural and sporting events that have taken place over the course of the three centuries since.
You’ll be amazed at just how much has happened since Queen Anne first stumbled upon that famous patch of grass over 300 years ago…
