Zara, Sophie, Princess Anne up the fashion stakes at Royal Ascot day three

The royals certainly didn’t let the bad weather dampen their spirits or style for Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot on Thursday. While the Queen was again absent, her daughter, Princess Anne, daughter-in-law Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and granddaughter Zara Tindall were all in attendance, stunning the crowd with another day of flawless fashion.

Sophie, Countess of Wessex, amped up the style stakes again with a stunning deep green shirt dress, a stark difference to her combined floral and feather ensemble from the previous day. The 56-year-old opted for the 1950s-inspired dress by British designer Suzannah, which featured embroidered cream palm trees and was cinched in with a black belt at the waist.

The stylish royal paired the dress with nude suede heels and a matching cream headpiece adorned with roses and feathers.

For day three of the annual event, Princess Anne opted for a more traditional ensemble in comparison to her extremely retro emerald-green silk dress from day two and her striking blue outfit from day one. The stylish 70-year-old’s ensemble was far from boring, turning heads in a bright yellow coat dress paired with cream gloves and handbag and a string of simple pearls. For headwear, it was a classic style hat with a pop of bright yellow feathers.

To keep herself safe, the royal also wore an equestrian-themed face mask.

Princess Anne’s daughter and the Queen’s granddaughter, Zara Tindall also attended the event for the second time this week, having also enjoyed day one with her husband Mike Tindall on Tuesday.

On Tuesday the royal, and Olympic equestrian – who recently welcomed a baby boy with her husband Mike – stepped out in a cream-and-black polka-dot dress by Me+Em. She teamed the outfit with a floral hat, a matching clutch and heels, and wore her hair up in an elegant bun.

For Ladies Day, however, the 40-year-old took the style stakes up a notch with a vibrant floral dress Erderm frock paired with a blush pink bespoke headpiece by Sarah Cant.

The mum of three looked the picture of happiness at the event, smiling broadly to photographers and stunning onlookers with the beautiful ensemble which she finished off with classic nude pumps and simple gold jewellery.

Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William and Catherine were missing from the event. While it was expected the trio would make an appearance, they are yet to attend. For the Queen, this is only the second Royal Ascot she’s missed in 69 years. The monarch has attended every Royal Ascot since she ascended the throne in 1952. The event was not open to the public last year due to Covid-19 restrictions.