ROYAL ASCOT

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27378, 17 June 1954, Page 2

ROYAL ASCOT

Procession Shortened Owing To Weather STURDY BUT DULL FROCKS Press AssoesaJzrra— LONDON, June 15. The course at Ascot today was sc. muddy that the Royal procession had 1 to be shortened, for fear of churning: up the gr otrn-d. When the Queen and toe Duke of' Edinburgh drove down “The Royal :3®te“ to a traditional opening cere-1 mony for toe meeting- their open car- : riage was followed by only four lan- , daus. Usually a long procession of; landaus follows the Royal carriage ■ down the course, ccmtatoing all theQueen’s house guests at Windsor Castle.: : _But the Royal precession this year: did for toe first time include Princess Alexandra, toe Queen's 17-year-old debutante cousin, daughter of the' Duchess of Kent, Uncertain weather today had resulted in many of London’s fash ton -: - r =

'able society women leaving their ■ / filmier and more -AscotislU frocks at • home, and they wore sturdier but / duller modes. The Queen, however, wore a strawberry pink silk dress with a small matching hat. Just as an insurance against possible rain, she carried a! stone marten stole.

Although there were more grey toppers among the men this year, the fioppy cartwheel hats—traditional femmine headgear for this most “social-~ and aristocratic of race meetings—were missing and the chic wore tiny, straw haif-hats instead- But one woman wore on her head a miniature racecourse complete with jockey and horse. At the champagne tent all brands of champagne were cheaper this year than last. Caterers set up toe biggest i variety off dishes since toe war.