Kate in Elie Saab

This is so floaty and romantic, I love it. (I actually gasped when I saw it on Instagram this morning.)

Kate in Elie Saab

I'm DELIGHTED that Kate is wearing Elie Saab, the king of Great Gowns. May this be a harbinger of more great gowns in the future. Also, of course, we must discuss her metallic shoes: They are PERFECT with this dress.

Wills and Kate (and everyone else in the background)

Kate looks like she's tuning out Wills (who looks like he's talking about all the trouble they've having with mold at the country house or some such) and thinking, "I really nailed my shoes today. Metallic was right. I'VE FINALLY DONE IT."

Wills and Kate and Anne

She looks super. As ever, Wills also looks dashing in this ensemble -- he wears a top hat well -- but of course, Princess Anne is stealing focus there in the foreground. She has absolutely, unequivocably owned this entire look since 1984.

Kate and Wills

"Psssst, I like you in a top hat. That's all."

The Tindalls and the Cambridges

"I also like you in a top hat, my child!" Everyone seemed to be having a VERY good time today, despite the rain. (Rumor has it it's been VERY wet in England this summer so far. By "rumor," I mean my friend Eliza who lives there.)

Wills and Kate

"Darling, who is this glamorous pile of leaves next to me?" "You idiot, that's MAXIMA."

Queens Elizabeth II and Maxima, plus W-A

THIS HAT IS A HOOT. It is HONESTLY a platter of leaves stapled to the side of her head and I am HERE FOR IT. She looks delightfully insane. No one does this better than Maxima.

Willem-Alexander and Maxima and Wills and Kate

This is just...the greatest. Wills looks like he's chatting to someone who's fallen under a witch's spell that has caused her to have a floral arrangement for a head. 

PLEASE can Maxima come to this every year? PS: If her diamond earrings seem ENORMOUS, it's because they are -- they're detached from the Stuart Tiara, that ABSOLUTELY MASSIVE headpiece she wore the last time they were here. I assume they're like 15 carats apiece. (They must be heavy.) Meanwhile, in the background, Camilla looks very Camilla-ish and a bit cranky.

QEII and Sophie (in Emilia Wickstead)

Meanwhile, of course, the Queen is pleased as punch to be back amid the ponies. (My personal favorite thing about this event is that we essentially just get loads of photos of people randomly chatting.)

Zara and Kate

I mostly pulled this pic because I enjoyed the concept of dueling baby blue hats, but also Kate's updo is amazing.

Eugenie (in Calvin Klein), Zara, Kate

These three did quite a lot of chatting, and if you think Eugenie's yellow hat seems an odd choice, her Calvin Klein dress does have a big yellow stripe down the side that's facing away from camera.

"Yeah. Exactly."

Princess Beatrice (in Maje) and Princess Eugenie (in Calvin Klein)

You can see Euj's stripe a bit more here (and the darts on her bodice are going to annoy her when she sees these photos). Do we think Beatrice feels dismayed that she is essentially wearing the Designer Imposter version of Kate's dress? (It is cute that they both decided to wear their Valentino Rock Stud shoes today.)

Zara Tindall in Zimmerman

This dress is both fun on Zara and also TOTALLY the wallpaper from someone's extremely chic guest bedroom circa 1983.

Princess Anne and Sophie Wessex (in Emilia Wickstead)

Speaking of wallpaper, Anne cannot deal with the lining of Sophie's hat SO MUCH that she has to LOOK AWAY.

QEII and Sophie

Sophie DOES look a little upholstered.

For a moment, I thought this was Fergie, chatting up this Charming Living Leaf Pile, but it is not. I am bereft! I had a whole speech ready to go about how she just needs to re-marry Prince Andrew. I'll have to save it for when she does show up at Ascot this week, which she will.

"See you all tomorrow!"

Kate Looks Fab at the First Day of Royal Ascot

Plus Maxima wears a GIANT LEAFT HAT!