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FILE - In this Wednesday, June 21, 2006 file photo, Britain' Queen Elizabeth II, centre, with Prince Michael of Kent, and Princess Michael of Kent celebrate after the horse Ouija Board won the Prince of Wales Stakes on the second day of the annual Royal Ascot horse race meeting, in Ascot, England. Queen Elizabeth II will not be attending the Royal Ascot horse racing meeting for the first time during her 68-year reign. The meeting, which commences Tuesday, June 16, 2020 is one of the country’s most high-profile horse racing meetings and one that effectively launches a great British summer of sport that also includes Wimbledon tennis and golf’s Open Championship. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

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FILE - In this Wednesday, June 15, 2016 file photo, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, right, and Prince Charles, left, arrive for the second day of the Royal Ascot horse race meeting, in Ascot, England. Queen Elizabeth II will not be attending the Royal Ascot horse racing meeting for the first time during her 68-year reign. The meeting, which commences Tuesday, June 16, 2020 is one of the country’s most high-profile horse racing meetings and one that effectively launches a great British summer of sport that also includes Wimbledon tennis and golf’s Open Championship. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)

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FILE - In this June 18, 1952 file photo, Queen Elizabeth II is driven in an open carriage from the Golden Gates at Ascot, Racecourse, Berkshire, England with Prince Philip, during the second day of the Royal Ascot meeting. Queen Elizabeth II will not be attending the Royal Ascot horse racing meeting for the first time during her 68-year reign. The meeting, which commences Tuesday, June 16, 2020 is one of the country’s most high-profile horse racing meetings and one that effectively launches a great British summer of sport that also includes Wimbledon tennis and golf’s Open Championship. (AP Photo/Eddie Worth, File )

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A woman wearing a face mask walks past a poster outside, on the first day of the annual Royal Ascot horse race meeting, which is taking place behind closed doors due to the Coronavirus outbreak, in Ascot, England, Tuesday, June 16, 2020. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II will not attend the meet for the first time in her 68-year reign amid the pandemic. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

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Jockeys wearing face masks to protect against coronavirus, walk through the service tunnel from the auxilary weighing room towards the paddock during day one of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse, in Ascot, England, Tuesday June 16, 2020. The meeting, which is one of the country’s most high-profile horse racing meetings will take place behind closed doors. (Edward Whitaker/PA via AP)

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A welcome sign stands on a footpath outside, on the first day of the annual Royal Ascot horse race meeting, which is taking place behind closed doors due to the Coronavirus outbreak, in Ascot, England, Tuesday, June 16, 2020. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II will not attend the meet for the first time in her 68-year reign amid the pandemic. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

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FILE - In this Thursday, June 21, 2018 file photo, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II arrives on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse race meeting, which is traditionally known as Ladies Day, in Ascot, England. Queen Elizabeth II will not be attending the Royal Ascot horse racing meeting for the first time during her 68-year reign. The meeting, which commences Tuesday, June 16, 2020 is one of the country’s most high-profile horse racing meetings and one that effectively launches a great British summer of sport that also includes Wimbledon tennis and golf’s Open Championship. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland, File)

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FILE - In this Thursday, June 21, 2018 file photo, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II arrives on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse race meeting, which is traditionally known as Ladies Day, in Ascot, England. Queen Elizabeth II will not be attending the Royal Ascot horse racing meeting for the first time during her 68-year reign. The meeting, which commences Tuesday, June 16, 2020 is one of the country’s most high-profile horse racing meetings and one that effectively launches a great British summer of sport that also includes Wimbledon tennis and golf’s Open Championship. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland, File)

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A view of outside the Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, as the Royal Ascot meeting takes place behind closed doors due to the coronvirus pandemic. in Ascot, England, Tuesday June 16, 2020. Queen Elizabeth II will not be attending the Royal Ascot horse racing meeting for the first time during her 68-year reign. The meeting, which commences Tuesday, is one of the country’s most high-profile horse racing meetings and one that effectively launches a great British summer of sport that also includes Wimbledon tennis and golf’s Open Championship.(Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)

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A social distancing sign stands outside closed entrance gates on the first day of the annual Royal Ascot horse race meeting, which is taking place behind closed doors due to the Coronavirus outbreak, in Ascot, England, Tuesday, June 16, 2020. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II will not attend the meet for the first time in her 68-year reign amid the pandemic. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Queen Elizabeth misses Royal Ascot for first time in reign

By Associated Press London

PUBLISHED 9:34 AM ET Jun. 16, 2020

LONDON (AP) — Nothing has kept Queen Elizabeth II away from the Royal Ascot horse racing meeting during her 68-year reign as U.K. monarch — not pregnancy, a speech to Parliament or even an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

But this year, the 94-year-old queen will not be attending Royal Ascot, which starts Tuesday, because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It is one of the country's most high-profile horse racing events and one that effectively launches a great British summer of sport that also includes Wimbledon tennis and golf's Open Championship.

Unlike Wimbledon and the British Open, Royal Ascot has not been canceled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, though spectators will be absent. More than 300,000 guests, more often than not dressed in their Sunday best, would have been expected to attend the five-day meeting.

The queen has been isolating at Windsor Castle, west of London, with her 99-year-old husband, Prince Philip, over the past three months. It wouldn't have been much of a drive to get to Ascot— barely 20 minutes.

But in the era of the coronavirus, that's not possible, and the racing-mad monarch will have to make do with watching the races on television.After all, she has several horses running over the coming days, including First Receiver, ridden by Frankie Dettori in the Queen’s racing colours, on Wednesday.

As an owner, the queen will have access to a virtual Royal Ascot parade ring while viewing her horses from the safety of Windsor Castle. She has won around 7 million pounds ($9 million) in prize money from horse racing in the past three decades.

“Whilst the ultimate experience of being at Royal Ascot sadly isn’t possible this year, we hope that what we are planning will make ownership at home as special as possible," said Nick Smith, director of racing and public affairs at Ascot.

Ascot is also inviting fans across the globe to dress up and wear Royal Ascot's unofficial trademark — a hat — and to share selfies on social media.

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