Kate Middleton and Prince William have been praised for their kind gesture to the Queen as they led members of the Firm at Royal Ascot.
The Duke and Duchess were the highest ranking royals at Ascot Racecourse today as they took a seat in the first carriage, which is part of the royal procession, Express.co.uk reported.
It marks the first appearance of Kate and William at the much-anticipated races this year.
Kate and William shared the carriage with The Hon Arthur George Vestey, whose elder brother is a close friend of the Duke and a fellow Old Etonian, and his wife Martha.
Arthur is also the son of the Queen's friend and former Master of the Horse, Baron Samuel Vestey.
The decision to ride in the carriage with the Vesteys was described as a "lovely gesture" by royal commentator Richard Eden.
He wrote on Twitter : "Lovely gesture by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to invite Arthur and his wife, Martha, to travel in their carriage.
"Arthur lost both his parents during the pandemic.
"His father, Lord Vestey, would often ride in the Queen's carriage."
On their way to the racecourse, Kate and William were spotted chatting and in deep conversation with their guests.
The couple had to deal with the blustery weather as Kate and William were forced to make sure their hats remained in place as they nearly become displaced.
As their carriage entered the racecourse and passed in front of the enclosures, Kate smiled widely and waved to the crowds of fans who have been gathering over the past few hours.
The only other member of the Firm to take part in the procession today is Peter Phillips, Princess Anne's son.
He was in the company of his girlfriend Lindsay Wallace, who was also spotted in the royal box during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant on June 5.
They shared the carriage with the Duke and Duchess of Bedford.
One other notable guest spotted today at Ascot was Carrie Johnson, the wife of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
