Royal Ascot: A day in the life

There are 300,000 spectators at Royal Ascot this week. The event is famous for its glitz and glamor. There are people behind the scenes who work hard to keep it running smoothly.

Dress-code is strict at Royal Ascot. Guests are sent the strict dress- code before attending. They are asked to hire suitable items of clothing if something doesn't fit the bill. The Style Guide is updated every year and has recently added jumpsuits for women. The event is keen to keep up with the times and occasionally adds new items to the list.

The bookmakers are the mainstay of the Royal Ascot business. They take bets from the thousands of punters and compete against each other to provide the best odds. Traditional bookies are finding it harder to make a living but moving with the times is pivotal to staying in business as Ricky says. Ricky took over the family trade from his father and has been working as a bookmaker for more than 40 years. He doesn't have a positive outlook on the trade's future but enjoys Royal Atcot.

The race stewards are responsible for keeping the visitors safe during their stay at Royal Ascot. Graham has been a race steward for 25 years and he takes great pride in his job. He has watched the young generations fall in love with horse racing. The Queen introduced the tradition of wearing black bowler hats to the event. He believes it makes the race what it is. It is one of the biggest racing occasions in the world.

The Coldstream Guards brass band plays a variety of songs during Royal Ascot. The band has the responsibility of playing the national anthem for the Queen's arrival in the Royal Procession. After the ceremonial duties, the band can loosen up and have some fun with the guests. The group has been well received and well looked after by the Ascott team.

Amy came from the United States to attend Royal Ascot. She likes the British music. She is impressed by the brass band playing everything from Frank Sinatra to Robbie Williams and Oasis.