Behind the Scenes at Royal Ascot–Moving a Monarch

BEHIND THE SCENES AT ROYAL ASCOT– 
MOVING A MONARCH 
Every day of the Royal Ascot Festival, come rain or sunshine, Her Majesty The Queen arrives at the entrance of Ascot's straight mile at precisely 2 p.m. Drawn by the famous Windsor Greys, Her Majesty's Landau leads the procession of carriages up the mile, past the Silver Ring, Grandstand and Royal Enclosure before finishing with a circuit of the Parade Ring. 
Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? 
Moving a Monarch from a castle several miles away to the center of the Ascot Racecourse, in an open carriage, is an extremely daunting task, however. And each year this daunting task is very capably handled by the Thames Valley Police. After all, they haven't even mislaid a guest yet. 
The route is fairly straightforward. Starting at Windsor Castle, Her Majesty and guests depart in a motorcade after a sumptuous lunch. Proceeding up the Long Walk, the motorcade then meets up with the waiting carriages in the center of The Windsor Great Park. Here, a final decision is made as to whether the carriage covers stay down or not. Her Majesty is made of extremely stern stuff, and even in the most inclement weather, she prefers to keep the covers down. However, lap rugs are thoughtfully provided for any of her guests who may be feeling the chill. 
Once The Queen and her guests have climbed into the Landaus, the Royal Procession departs, with the remainder of the guests and Her Majesty's Ladies in Waiting going ahead by car. Exiting the Park at Ascot Gate, it winds its way through the lanes until arriving at the entrance to Ascot Racecourse at the start of the Straight Mile. So what role do the Thames Valley Police play in all of this, you might ask? A lot, I discovered. 
Just after the sun stirs in the morning, or at least is meant to stir, a team of police searchers will have walked the route from start to finish, checking it thoroughly. Armed with sticks, dogs and bright yellow bibs, they start in the Great Park, checking every inch of the shrubbery on both sides of the road, as well as lifting each and every traffic cone and even checking the drains and manholes along the way. While the route is being checked, the officers on traffic duty get into position. At each point along the route, once the Royal Procession leaves the Great Park, traffic will be stopped and all roads in the vicinity of the route are closed for a short period until the Procession has passed by. Even the Great Park is closed for cars, and spectators wanting to enjoy the Changeover must either walk or get to the park very early. Hence, it is quite normal to see a stream of cars entering the park at 9 a.m. 
Next, officers are stationed at all the points where the Procession slows down. Turning a four-in-hand safely cannot be done at speed! Escorting the Procession along the route are officers on motorbikes as well as members of the Thames Valley Mounted Police. Their mounts are Irish Drafts with a bit of Clydesdale mixed in, and their sheer size is quite enough to dissuade anybody from getting out of line. The route taken is not just a means to an end. It is also a chance for ordinary citizens to catch a glimpse of The Queen. Hundreds line the route, armed with flags, waving and shouting good wishes to their Queen and the police, while making sure that nobody steps out of line, also join in the spirit of the occasion. The last officer, following along on his bike, traditionally high fives excited children along the route. 
Back at the Racecourse, officers have been getting ready since mid-morning for The Queen's arrival, while a police helicopter circles overhead. Access to the walkway in front of the Royal Box has been blocked, and a large contingent of police officers take up their positions around the Parade Ring. Here, the Queen and her guests exit the Landaus, and with a large crowd surrounding the Parade Ring, safety is of the utmost importance. The Operations Officer directs the entire procedure from his vantage point at the edge of the Parade Ring, while uniformed and plainclothes officers mingle with the watching racegoers. Stationed strategically, snipers keep an eagle-eye on proceedings. Down the Straight Mile, four mounted police officers accompany the Royal Procession, ensuring that there is a barrier between the public and Her Majesty at all times. Two more mounted officers have been patrolling Car Park One, situated along the running rail, for a while already, and once the Royal Procession enters the mile, they make their way to the top of the straight, ensuring that no merry picnic goer makes a dash to meet The Queen. It is here that I meet Samson and Trojan. 
While Samson is an old hat at Royal Ascot, Trojan is attending for the first time, and standing still is not quite his thing. When the band strikes up with God Save The Queen, his head reaches for the skies, while the quivering, flared nostrils say it all. But, true to his training and despite his eyes being on stalks, Trojan stands his ground. It may, of course, have had something to do with Samson, who, after lifting his head once to check out the approaching Landaus, went back to his daydreams. 
The job is, however, far from done. For once Her Majesty departs and the racing ends, revelers and racegoers take to the High Street to continue the party and, once again, it is the job of the Thames Valley police and the likes of Trojan and Samson to ensure that they do so in an orderly fashion. Finally, the streets are quiet, Her Majesty is safely in back at Windsor Castle, and the police, well, they are getting ready to do it all over again tomorrow!