King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive in a horse-drawn carriage at Ascot for their fifth consecutive day with radiant smiles

King Charles was pictured beaming and waving at crowds as he arrived at Royal Ascot on Saturday, for the event’s fifth and final day.

The event is considered one of the most significant in the racing calendar and consistently draws large crowds, including several members of the Royal Family.

And the monarch’s fifth appearance in a raw showed how important he sees the Berkshire attraction.

Despite the scorching 28C heat, Prince Charles, who has been undergoing weekly cancer treatment for over a year, donned his finest attire to join other horse racing enthusiasts at the racecourse.

Over the week, he has been seen donning a traditional grey suit, complete with tails, a waistcoat, and the obligatory top hat. 

The Royal Family – who are known to adore equestrian sports – make appearances at Royal Ascot every year.

And this year is no dIfferent: King Charles and Queen Camilla are not the only royals who’ve shown up to the Berkshire racecourse.

Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank were also present at the event. The mother-of-two made a striking appearance in a full-length red gown matched with a hat in the same color and nude pumps.

King Charles and Queen Camilla are pictured arriving on day five of Royal Ascot on Saturday

Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips, alongside his NHS nurse girlfriend Harriet Sperling attended on Thursday.

And on Wednesday, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh – who were celebrating their 26th wedding anniversary – joined the King and Queen in the royal carriage procession down from Windsor Castle.

They were joined by Charles’ sister, Princess Anne, her husband Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, niece Princess Beatrice and her husband, Edo Mapelli Mozzi, as well his other niece Zara Tindall and her husband, Mike. 

There, they join hundreds of thousands of other punters, who are there to watch the racing as well as socialise and have a drink or two.

While they are believed to very much enjoy the event, it has been reported that the King and Queen were not just at Ascot for pleasure, but also for a more serious reason.

The royal couple are said to feel strongly that Royal Ascot is an important showcase for both the British racing industry and the UK as a global tourist attraction, more generally, and their appearance highlights its importance in the social and racing calendar.

Ascot’s head of corporate affairs, Will Aitkenhead, noted that seeing the monarch and his family is an intrinsic part of what makes the event so popular with the public.

He added that the event, founded by Queen Anne in 1711, has seen record attendance figures all week. Three hundred years later, we are still putting on top class racing,’ he explained.

According to reports, King Charles (pictured) has attended all five days of the horse racing event this year

SMILE: The King appeared to be enjoying himself as he was photographed chatting with a fellow guest at the Berkshire racecourse

‘Thirteen monarchs through to His Majesty The King now. The support of the Royal Family for the meeting is incredible. People really look forward to seeing them here. 

‘Sometimes they have runners on the day and sometimes they are just here to support the industry, but either way they are an intrinsic part of the day.  

‘We welcome guests from around the world in particular America, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, UAE and across Europe. Royal Ascot is also broadcast in 180 countries. 

‘Horses from Japan, France, Germany, Norway, Australia, America, Ireland and Qatar compete, and lots of jockeys from overseas as well. Royal Ascot is a huge soft power asset for Britain.’

A royal aide agreed, stressing how much Charles, 76, had embraced the ‘sport of kings’ so loved by his late mother and enjoyed interacting with so many members of the public, adding: ‘The King feels it is important to show support for what is a huge industry and global showcase for the UK, especially given the number of high-level international visitors it attracts.

‘He also genuinely enjoys the chance to catch up with old friends, celebrate royal tradition and see members of the wider public particularly given the [health] issues [he has endured] over the last year.’

One of the more intriguing aspects of Ascot is the dress code – which differs depending which of the enclosures guests are visiting.       

For example, no dress code rules apply in the Windsor Enclosure, although the majority of guests choose to dress up regardless.

Queen Camilla (pictured) also seemed pleased to be attending Royal Ascot, and she smiled as she waved at royal watchers

In spite of the sweltering heat, King Charles (pictured, left) donned a traditional three-piece suit and a top hat (see with Queen Camilla, right)

Meanwhile, a strict dress code operates across the Royal and Queen Anne Enclosures.

Hats are a must in both Royal enclosures. Alternatively, a headpiece or ‘hatinator’ with a minimum base diameter of 4 inches (10cm) is also acceptable.

Dresses must be knee length or longer and forget spaghetti straps – all shoulders must be a minimum width of 1 inch (2.5cm). Strapless, off-the-shoulder and one shoulder items are also banned in the Royal and Queen Anne Enclosures.

Shorts of any kind are not permitted. But having been included in the dress code since 1971, trouser suits remain a popular choice – although they mustn’t be mismatched. 

From 2017 onwards, jumpsuits have also been accepted as Ascot worthy, while men must stick to black dress shoes worn with ankle socks, but there are no footwear specifications for women.

The dress codes are adhered to despite the temperatures, which reached record heights on Thursday – the hottest day of the year so far.

But as the mercury soared to temperatures in excess of 32C –almost 90F – racegoers clad in their finery, including full morning suits for the men, began dropping like flies. 

At least one person was taken to hospital and more than 40 treated for heat-related illness. 

Princess Eugenie (seen with her husband Jack Brooksbank) looked striking in a full length red gown, which she paired with a hat in the same hue, and nude pumps as she attended Ascot on Saturday

The royal followed the same monochrome trend of many other attendees, opting for an ensemble in one shade – including her hat –  though she did wear shoes in a pale beige tone

As the Hawaii-topping highs of 34C were predicted for tomorrow, in contrast, Honolulu, capital of the US Pacific Island state, is only forecast to reach 29C (84F), while Barbados should hit 32C (89F). 

The mercury soared to temperatures in excess of 32C –almost 90F – seeing racegoers clad in their finery, including full morning suits for the men, begin dropping like flies. 

At least one person was taken to hospital and more than 40 treated for heat-related illness.  

The last time Britain reached 34C in June was almost six years ago on June 29, 2019, at Northolt and Heathrow. The record for the month is 35.6C (96.1F) on June 29, 1957, at Camden Square, central London.

As The UK Health Security Agency issued a four-day amber heat health alert from noon on Wednesday until 9am on Monday, even Newcastle-upon-Tyne is forecast to hit 31C (87.8F) tomorrow.

The agency warned ‘significant impacts are likely’ across health and social care services because of high temperatures, including a rise in deaths – particularly among those aged 65 and over. 

An official heatwave is logged when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25-28C (77-82F) in different parts. 

Temperatures are set to fall back to the mid-20s by the start of next week.