It was a day even a royal logistics team would call a stretch. King Charles and Queen Camilla pulled off a remarkable royal double on Saturday, slipping out of their nephew's wedding the moment the church bells began to peal and boarding a helicopter for a 100-mile dash to the Epsom Derby — all before afternoon tea.
First Out the Door
The King and Queen arrived at All Saints Church in Kemble, Gloucestershire, at 12.48pm for the 1pm ceremony, joining the great and good of the royal family to watch Peter Phillips, 48 — son of the Princess Royal and the King's nephew — marry NHS nurse Harriet Sperling. The congregation was a who's who of the Firm: the Prince and Princess of Wales, Zara and Mike Tindall with daughters Mia and Lena, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh with their son James, Earl of Wessex, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie with their husbands. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not in attendance.
But Charles and Camilla couldn't linger. At 2pm — thought to be the first guests to leave — they paused briefly to wave at well-wishers gathered outside the church before being driven to a waiting helicopter that had touched down nearby just minutes earlier. In less than ideal conditions — heavy showers, low cloud and gusting winds — they took to the skies bound for Surrey.
"Their Majesties were eager to show support for one of the racing industry's most important days, which, as it turned out, unfortunately fell on the same day as a family occasion they were equally keen to be a part of. Thankfully, a workaround was evolved that meant it was just about possible to attend both — and I know they were very much looking forward to each element of a very special but very busy day, one that featured a bit of a race of their own."
A Monarch Back at Epsom
The significance of the King's presence at the 247th running of the Derby was not lost on the racing world. This is the first time a reigning monarch has attended Derby Day since the late Queen Elizabeth II paid her final visit in 2019, though Charles and Camilla did attend Epsom for Oaks Day two years ago. Queen Elizabeth rarely missed the Derby, ring-fencing it in her diary each year alongside Royal Ascot — and her son has clearly inherited that devotion to the sport.
The couple touched down at a helipad on Tattenham Hill before being driven to the back of the Queen Elizabeth II Stand — the very building the late Queen opened in 1992 — arriving shortly after 3pm. They were greeted by Baroness Dido Harding, senior steward of the Jockey Club, alongside racecourse chairman Andy Hornby and clerk of the course Andrew Cooper, who was overseeing his 32nd Derby.
Before the big race, Charles took a moment to present Rowan Scott — rider of Poker and the only jockey making his Derby debut this year — with a commemorative cap to mark the occasion. A lovely touch from a king who clearly understands the romance of the sport.
Christmas Day Takes the Spoils
As for the race itself, it was Christmas Day who stole the show, galloping clear to win by two and three-quarter lengths, with Maltese Cross best of the British runners in second and James J Braddock taking third. The King duly presented the trophy to the winning connections — the whole reason for the breathless afternoon scramble.
The Jockey Club had spent £6 million reviving the Derby's fortunes after just 22,000 attended last year — a far cry from the reputed one million who turned out in 1951 — with hopes of drawing 60,000 over the two-day meeting. With Dame Mary Berry, Clare Balding and Tom Parker-Bowles among the celebrity crowd, and a reigning monarch back in the royal box, the grand old race looked very much alive again.
Back in the Cotswolds, meanwhile, the Phillips-Sperling reception carried on without its most senior guests — organised by the very same event planners behind several royal milestone birthdays and Zara Tindall's own wedding. The floral archways at the church, installed by Millie Richardson, were even left for villagers to take home after Sunday's regular service. A perfect ending to a very royal Saturday — even if the King and Queen had to miss the cake.
