The Sport Of Kings - Royals & Racing
The British royal family have long been associated with a sport dear to the heart of many punters and online casino fans: racing. Here we examine the relationship between horses, bets, and kings and queens.
The blossoming of horse racing under royal patronage in this country dates back at least as far as Charles I and his son Charles II, the two reigns separated by the austere years of Cromwell's puritanical Commonwealth.
Charles I is thought actually to have raced as a jockey himself, under a pseudonym. He was the first to recognise the importance of breeding, and introduced the distribution of trophies for categories such as Best Bred Horse to reward the quality and effort of their work.
After Cromwell's departure, the country saw a great blossoming of arts and culture and leisure activities, many of which had been banned under the Commonwealth.
Charles II reinstated racing, "the sport of kings", abolishing the ban set on the sport at the beginning of the Restoration period in 1660. He also initiated the wear of silks as racing attire. Betting on horses, however, was officially illegal up until 1691, much later in his reign.
At Queen Anne's command in the early 18th Century, the racecourse at Royal Ascot was built near Windsor Castle on a site she declared to be the perfect location for the horses to run free.
After Anne's death, however, interest in racing dropped considerably until George III came to the throne. Suddenly racing became all the rage for people of higher social classes. Later in the 19th Century, during the Victorian era, middle-class, the working class and women became more a part of the mainstream racing culture of the day.
The story is told of Queen Victoria, niece of William IV, that as a young girl she won a bet with her uncle. The prize was said to be a horse. It was Queen Victoria's son, King Edward VII the Prince of Wales, who set the trend for the annual Royal week at Ascot, which continues so successfully to this day.
Racing is viewed by the Royals as a sport of entertainment and relaxation. It has frequently been said that the Queen Mother used to enjoy a gamble on the horses, although these claims have more than once been rejected by the Queen's racing manager and by her niece Margaret Rhodes, who both say that the Queen Mother had "never had a bet". Perhaps someone else put them on for her.
Certainly there is extensive footage of the Queen Mother and her reigning daughter watching the races together and getting caught up in the excitement of the moment.
Whether it's for the ladies' fashions, the races, the horses or the betting, this week every year, thousands of people flock to Royal Ascot to experience the vibe live, to place bets and to socialise. The fact that the event has royal support gives it a certain glamour and kudos that nothing else can supply.
Today the Queen owns and breeds several race-horses and has an especial interest in the yearly races at Ascot. You may not catch her queuing up at the bookmakers to place a bet but then again, as a significant owner in her own right, you could argue she's taking the biggest punt of all.
