The Queen’s touching gesture to help Queen Maxima stay warm at Royal Ascot

Queen Maxima and her husband King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands visited the British Royal Family this week. They braved the rain to open Royal Ascot on Tuesday with other royals including Primce William and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie as well as Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. But her Majesty was prepared for the bad weather, as she had a tartan throw in her carriage to make sure her guests were comfortable.

The royals were all dressed to impress on the day despite the drizzle, according to Hello!.

Queen Maxima wore a champagne coloured dress that was paired with a big floral hat.

Meanwhile, Kate wore a blue dress by Elie Saab with a bow on it.

She also had on a matching blue hat with a large rose on the side.

Eugenie and Beatrice both wore blue too, with Beatrice opting for a stylish lace number.

Zara Tindall’s husband Mike made the Queen laugh by wearing a large top hat.

He bent over to remove the top hat to show there was a mini version of the hat inside.

Around 300,000 people attend the Royal Ascot in Berkshire every year and the next five days are thought be no different.

The Queen said in the opening day’s official race programme: “Racing began at Ascot over 300 years ago and while much has changed, the horses remain the stars, thrilling us with their beauty, brilliance and courage.

“The quality and depth of competition at the royal meeting has also continued to prosper, with eight group one races taking place this week.

“The best horses and jockeys from across the globe are increasingly drawn to Royal Ascot.

“It is truly exciting to welcome competitors from overseas, as strong international competition adds further interest and fascination.”