Royal Ascot
Ascot Racecourse was founded by Queen Anne in 1711 and the 5 day Royal Ascot races haven taken place there every year since.
The Royal Meeting, held annually in the third week in June, is steeped in tradition and pageantry and is interwoven into the very fabric of British culture.
It always starts on a Tuesday and each day begins with the Royal Procession - the arrival of The Queen and the Royal party in horse-drawn landaus, which parade along the track in front of the race-goers. The Royal Procession dates back to the 1820s and the reign of King George IV, at which time it was referred to as the Royal Parade or Royal Drive.
The British love Royal Ascot because it's an excuse to dress formally- men are required to wear morning dress with a top hat and women must wear formal day wear. This has actually created a trend for over-the-top outfits and hats. Everyone drinks Pimm's or Champagne whilst watching the races and eat strawberries or lobster. This 5-days event is all about luxury and excess and just having some good old-fashioned British fun!
The British Grand Prix at Silverstone
Silverstone was originally an airfield in 1943 but was converted into a racetrack in 1948 by the Royal Automobile Club. On October 2nd of that year, the RAC held a Grand Prix; the British people flocked to it, excited by the dare-devil drivers and fast cars, and they still do today. Since then the track itself has had major changes and developments over the years. Silverstone became the official home of the British Grand Prix in 1987 and it has taken place there every year since.
Chelsea Flower Show
This annual event celebrates the best there is about British gardening and is one of the most famous flower shows in the world. Chelsea sets the latest gardening trends, features the newest and most desirable gardening products and creates an explosion of colours and scents. It is held for 5 days in May by the Royal Horticultural Society in the gardens of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea. This flower show has taken place since the early 1900s.
Many awards are given out at this popular event which is attended by 157,000 visitors each year. Royalty, celebrities and the British public all flock to the flowers every year, like bees to honey!