The Queen’s passion for horses is well known, and her presence at Royal Ascot has been a staple of the British social calendar throughout the course of her 69-year reign.

Members of Queen Elizabeth’s family have attended the first day of Royal Ascot at Windsor, but the monarch chose to watch the event from home for the first time during her reign.

The Queen has had a busy few days, traveling to Cornwall for the G7 summit before returning to Windsor for Trooping the Colour and a meeting with Joe and Jill Biden over the weekend. She also met with Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison at Windsor Castle on Tuesday. Despite her hectic schedule, insiders tell Vanity Fair that the Monarch has plans to attend the races later this week, which her racing manager John Warren appeared to confirm on national radio Tuesday morning.

“She’s fanatic about racing, watching racing and breeding horses and has been going to Ascot all of her adult life so it’s a shame to miss an event,” he explained.

“The plan at the moment is to see how it goes towards the latter part of the week and if the Queen’s able to come because she’s got runners,” Warren told Radio 4. “Then, fingers crossed, it will happen.”

Despite the fact that the queen was not present on the first day of racing, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall attended, as were the Princess Royal, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, and Zara and Mike Tindall. While there was no traditional royal carriage procession due to social distancing measures, which have resulted in smaller crowds, as well as the requirement of face masks in some areas, Prince Charles and Camilla arrived by chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce, with members seen cheering from the Royal Box.

The Queen visited Royal Ascot for the first time as Princess Elizabeth in 1945, and is thought to have attended every day of the meeting every year save last year.

She has been in the winners’ enclosure 24 times between 1953 and 2019, and she made sports history in 2013 when she became the first reigning queen to do so.

The Queen usually has many horses competing at Royal Ascot, and her horse Kings Lynn will participate in the King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday. Normally, Her Majesty serves a luncheon for guests at Windsor Castle before taking part in the customary carriage parade from the castle to the Royal Enclosure at Royal Ascot.

If Her Majesty visits Ascot in the coming days, she will be unable to inspect the horses in the paddock, as she normally does, owing to movement restrictions inside the grounds.

More royal visits are anticipated throughout the week, with fans expecting an appearance by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

During her 69-year reign, the Queen has only missed Royal Ascot twice, both times due to pregnancy. While she is anticipated to make an appearance this year, it will be low-key.