King and Queen joined by Qatar’s Sheikh Abdullah on day five of Royal Ascot

The King and Queen welcomed Qatar’s Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani on the final day of the world-famous Royal Ascot meeting.

The Royals joined thousands of punters for an afternoon of racing, and invited family and friends to watch the action on the turf.

They led the traditional carriage procession alongside Sheikh Abdullah and Lady Charles Spencer-Churchill.

Trainers Willie Mullins and Jamie Snowden, and their wives, were also included in the procession, as well as the Earl De La War, Sir Michael Stevens and Saudi businessman Wafic Said.

The King and Queen's horse, Hard to Resist, was a long shot in the Sandringham Stakes yesterday with odds of 40-1, and finished way adrift of the leading riders.

Two royal horses have been entered for the final day of Royal Ascot, with Desert Hero expected to start in the Hardwicke Stakes and Treasure in the Golden Gates Stakes.

The King and Queen have become firm supporters of Royal Ascot since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who rarely missed the Berkshire meet – one of the highlights of the racing calendar.

Over the past few days, they have watched some of the country’s leading jockeys, trainers and horses compete on the world-famous course, established after Queen Anne declared in 1711 Ascot was ideal for “horses to gallop at full stretch”.

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