King Charles 'hoping for miracle' as he makes major appearance

King Charles will be hoping for a miracle as he arrived at Royal Ascot today, with a former Strictly Come Dancing star joining his carriage procession.

On the fourth day of the race meeting, Charles and Queen Camilla led the royal party in the carriage procession, accompanied by close friends Lord and Lady Bamford in the first carriage. 

The second carriage featured Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, along with Lord Frederick Windsor and his wife, Sophie.

Sophie, known to many as Big Suze from the comedy Peep Show, is also a half-sister of Strictly Come Dancing host Claudia Winkleman. 

The Strictly connection at Royal Ascot today extended further with former glitterball judge and dancer Dame Darcey Bussell, who joined the procession alongside her husband Angus.

Today, the King and Queen aim to overcome previous disappointments. Their hopes for a second Royal Ascot winner were dashed yesterday when their racehorse performed poorly.

Today, their other horse, Hard to Resist, will compete in the Sandringham Stakes as a longshot with 50-1 odds, far from the favourites—making a win a miracle.

Yesterday, Charles and Camilla's thoroughbred Gilded Water ran in the King George V Stakes, the same race that secured their first victory at the prestigious Berkshire meet last year. 

The royal couple, who inherited Queen Elizabeth II’s racing horses, had invited several members of the royal family and close friends to the royal box to enjoy the racing and the week's main event, the Gold Cup. 

Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, along with Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall and son-in-law Mike Tindall, were part of the royal party.