The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Queen leads a silent tribute at Ascot to victims
RacedOer s Obser ve a MIg9te’s selegce eg fefoiy oF oectefs oF iecegt tiadeWees
The Queen has led Royal Ascot racegoers and her family in observing a minute’s silence in memory of the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire and London and Manchester terror attacks.
With her head bowed and her hands clasped in front of her, the Queen joined tens of thousands of punters paying their respects.
The minute’s silence was introduced by an announcer who told the racecourse it was a “mark of respect for the victims and families so tragically affected by recent events in the United Kingdom”.
With the Queen stood the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall and other members of the monarchy.
All male members of the royal family, who wore morning suits, took off their top hats.
Johnny Weatherby, chairman of Ascot Racecourse, said earlier: “We have all been deeply saddened by recent tragic events that have happened around the country.
“At the beginning of this important week for racing, we at Ascot Racecourse wish to pay our respects to the victims and offer support to the families who have been so terribly affected.”
The Queen marked her official birthday on Saturday by issuing a statement acknowledging the “succession of terrible tragedies” in recent weeks and observing a minute’s silence for all those affected before the Trooping the Colour ceremony started.
The racecourse is making a donation of £100,000 to the British Red Cross UK Solidarity and London Fire Relief Funds and local charities to support those affected.
Exit collections on all five days of Royal Ascot will be available to enable racegoers to contribute.
The silent tribute came after the Queen and her guests arrived at the Berkshire racecourse in the traditional carriage procession.
Tens of thousands of racegoers in the stands cheered as the four carriages carrying the group rode past.
The Queen and Prince Philip travelled with the Duke of York in the lead carriage, followed by Charles, Camilla and princesses Beatrice and Eugenie in another.
The third carried William and Kate, who wore an Alexander McQueen dress with a bespoke hat, and the Earl and Countess of Wessex, while in the final carriage was Peter Phillips and his wife Autumn with Diana, Princess of Wales’s sister Lady Jane Fellowes and her husband Lord Fellowes.