More than 250,000 racegoers flock to Royal Ascot every June and we've analysed the attendance trends at the prestigious five-day Flat meeting.
The first Royal Meeting took place at Ascot in 1768 and it remains one of Britain's most popular horse racing events.
2026 saw the highest attendance at Royal Ascot since the Covid-19 pandemic as 294,541 visited the festival across the five days, a 2.8% increase from the previous year.
Saturday is typically the best attended day of Royal Ascot with over 70,000 racegoers heading to the Berkshire racecourse for the day that is headlined by the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
Thursday, otherwise known as 'Ladies Day' (day three), is typically the second-best attended day of the Royal Ascot meeting as the oldest and most prestigious race takes centre stage: the Gold Cup.
Royal Ascot year-by-year attendance breakdown
2015 | 293,303 |
2016 | 294,887 |
2017 | 293,791 |
2018 | 301,818 |
2019 | 292,723 |
2022 | 273,465 |
2023 | 266,145 |
2024 | 273,528 |
2025 | 286,541 |
2026 | 294,541 |
Royal Ascot Day 1 attendances
2024 | 43,791 |
2025 | 45,551 |
2026 | 46,924 |
Royal Ascot Day 2 attendances
2024 | 40,163 |
2025 | 41,571 |
2026 | 42,315 |
Royal Ascot Day 3 attendances
2024 | 62,549 |
2025 | 65,718 |
2026 | 65,718 |
Royal Ascot Day 4 attendances
2024 | 57,743 |
2025 | 62,628 |
2026 | 64,610 |
Royal Ascot Day 5 attendances
2024 | 69,291 |
2025 | 71,073 |
2026 | 71,610 |
