The Worst-Dressed Attendees At Royal Ascot 2026

Royal Ascot is Britain's biggest horse racing gathering of the year. Its star-studded guest list is headed by the King and Queen, with many other royals, celebrities, and everyday racing enthusiasts also attending the week's events. Royal Ascot has a very specific set of fashion rules. Given its strictly enforced dress code, Royal Ascot is host to some of the best fashion moments as well as terrible ones. While each of the enclosures expects a different level of formality, female guests are generally expected to wear dresses below the knee and avoid spaghetti straps (as well as strapless dresses). For men, the dress code is a trouser suit with a matching top and bottom. Regarding the most exclusive enclosure – the Royal Enclosure – guests must also wear hats or "hatinators" (a combination of a hat and fascinator; fascinators alone aren't permitted) with a base diameter of at least four inches. Sounds over-the-top? It is. 

Because of these rigid dress expectations, we get to see a wide range of impeccably tailored day dresses and, of course, fabulous hats at every race. However, not every Royal Ascot outfit is a win. The worst-dressed celebrities at Royal Ascot 2025, for example, employed garish patterns and outdated silhouettes for their subpar race-day looks. This year, we similarly saw more than a few celebs opting for clashing color combinations, overly flamboyant hats, and gaudy patterns at the Royal Ascot races. The worst-dressed attendees at Royal Ascot 2026 are certainly a sight to behold. 

Alizee Thevenet, Kate Middleton's sister-in-law, channeled the early 1900s on the second day of Royal Ascot 2026. The financial analyst's choice of dress closely resembled an old-fashioned nightgown, with its ruffled collar and pink floral print. Regarding Thevenet's hat, she chose a structured straw boater hat with a dark green ribbon. Thevenet's lackluster looked more like an outdated sleepwear set than something Royal Ascot worthy. 

While Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh looked better at Royal Ascot 2026 than she did during last year's races (we still can't forget her disastrous daisy appliquéd dress), her looks were still incredibly lackluster. Sophie attended Royal Ascot 2026 in primarily black dresses, the worst of which featured a heavy black mesh overlay covered in small bows. For English royals, black is typically reserved for funerals. Not only did Sophie look out of place at the daytime races, but she also broke a royal style rule. 

As one of the daughters of prominent businessman, Ascot partner, and equestrian supporter David Howden, Talitha Howden is likely used to dressing up for important events like Ascot. However, her bright pink feathered hat didn't quite match the vibe of her slinky satin dress. We like these pieces separately, but together, they just don't mesh well. Talitha may be a talented stylist, but she missed the mark on her own outfit for Royal Ascot 2026.

Camilla Kerslake's Royal Ascot ensemble was an explosion of color, but it was also a little too much for our taste. The singer's candy-colored dress was complemented by a bold disc-shaped hat covered in multicolored feathers; while Ascot is all about its over-the-top fashion, this look was unbalanced — both dress and hat were garishly colored. Worst of all, Kerslake's dark green platform heels clashed with the light colors of the rest of her ensemble. 

Businesswoman and philanthropist Jenny Halpern Prince attended Royal Ascot 2026 in an ensemble that seemed to be comprised of random pieces from her closet. Prince wore a white and red floral dress, a cropped pink jacket, and off-white platform heels with a dramatic, off-white, floral hat. Because of the clashing colors and materials, her entire outfit appeared disjointed and entirely too bland. If Prince had removed the pink jacket, we think this look would have worked much better. 

Jemima Howden, sister to the previously mentioned Talitha Howden, is an accomplished equestrian. However, her Royal Ascot 2026 look left much to be desired. Howden wore a plain white lace dress, which she paired with a black butterfly hat and black strappy heels. While black and white can obviously go very well together, the vibe of Howden's airy dress and her more eclectic hat don't look the best next to each other. We wish that Howden had either matched her dress to the quirky energy of her headwear or just opted for a low-key look altogether.