Cheltenham Festival: Which members of the royal family will be there this year?
There is always a chance that a member of the royal family will be in the Royal Box at Cheltenham Festival.
The Queen is a big fan of Cheltenham. She was there in 2009 to watch Barber Shop, a horse owned by the Queen Mother. Epsom and Ascot are her favourites. Her health issues mean she won't visit Cheltensham in 2022. She will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee in the year of her Diamond Jubililee.
The future Queen is a regular visitor to her local racecourse. She often presents a cup to the winner of The Queen Mother Champion Chase. Camilla is the Patron of the National Stud charity. Prince Charles has also started to share her passion for racing. Charles and Camila are members of Jockey Club and have two horses, Carntop and Pacify.
Kate Middleton attended the festival as a guest of Prince Charles in 2006. William and Kate didn't get engaged until 2010. They are planning a 12-day Caribbean tour next month. They will be in the Bahamas, Jamaica and Belize in celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
Princess Anne is a regular at the Prestbury Park racing festival. She presents the prizes and has a building named after her at Prestburys Park. The 71-year-old opened the Princess Royal Stand after a £45 million redevelopment of the racecourse in 2015.
Zara is the first member of the royal family to sit on the committee as a director of Cheltenham. She was appointed on New Year's Day 2020. Zara and her husband Mike have owned, bred and pre-trained several racehorses.
Zara Tindall's daughter Mia was spotted with her mum at the Cheltenham Festival Trial in January. Mia has been riding since the age of two. Zara and Mike homeschool their daughter.
The Queen's grandson is probably going to Cheltenham Festival this year.
This year's Cheltenham Festival is partnering with the Duke of Sussex's favourite charity, WellChild. The only time Harry has returned from the US since leaving the UK was to unveil a statue to his mother, Princess Diana and attend the Well child awards ceremony. He could be in Chelteham as patron of Wellchild and then stay for two weeks to attend a service of thanksgiving for grandfather Prince Philip in Westminster Abbey on March 29.
Prince Edward and Sophie, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, are unlikely to attend the Cheltenham Festival this year. Charles is looking for ways to slim down the monarchy.
Prince Andrew is less likely than the Queen to obey orders to keep a low profile.
