The King makes surprise Royal Ascot detour for special ceremony

A champion of the turf has been immortalised at Royal Ascot
after The King and Queen unveiled a new statue of the great
racehorse Enable in the Royal Enclosure.

In a surprise departure from the traditional Royal Ascot
routine, The King and Queen made a detour before heading to the
Royal Box, walking through the Royal Enclosure grandstand to attend
the special unveiling ceremony.

Their Majesties were joined by Prince Saud bin Khalid,
representing the family of the late Prince Khalid Abdullah, the
owner and breeder of Enable. The King and Queen spent several
minutes viewing the sculpture and chatting with guests gathered for
the occasion.

The striking bronze statue, positioned within the Royal
Enclosure with the grandstand and Royal Box overlooking it, pays
tribute to one of the most celebrated racehorses of the modern
era.

A plaque beneath the sculpture records Enable’s remarkable
achievements. Owned and bred by Prince Khalid Abdullah, trained by
John Gosden and ridden by Frankie Dettori, she won the King George
VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on three occasions – in
2017, 2019 and 2020.

Enable’s success extended far beyond Ascot. She became a dual
winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and captured the
imagination of racing fans around the world through a glittering
career that established her as one of the sport’s all-time
greats.

During the ceremony, The King was seen sharing a light-hearted
moment with Prince Saud bin Khalid in the shadow of the newly
unveiled statue, while The Queen admired the tribute to the
legendary mare.

The unveiling ensures that Enable’s legacy will remain a
permanent part of Royal Ascot, allowing future generations of
racegoers to remember a horse whose achievements transcended the
sport.

After the ceremony concluded, The King and Queen returned to the
Royal Box to continue the opening day of Royal Ascot 2026.