hr: Yachts

Photo Credit: Andy G

Another highlight of the English society, the Henley Royal Regatta takes place every year on the first week of July. Akin to the Royal Ascot Races, this event is one of the most awaited and is participated by the the best athletes in the country. Apart from being an occasion for the British aristocrats to dress up in the old ‘distinctively British’ style that has inspired fashion designers for decades, it also holds a historical significance endeared by the English.

Founded in 1839, the Henley Royal Regatta has been held each year since then except during the World Wars. it was Prince Albert who became the first royal patron of the Regatta in the year 1851and was carried by every monarch as part of the royal tradition. Taking place at the famous River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, the race runs for five days, its main event being the Grand Challenge Cup for Men’s Eights.

The Steward’s Enclosure at Henley’s requires a dress code for spectators: members of boating and rowing clubs wear their own distinctive blazers, straw hats and ties while the women don knee-length dresses or skirts. The wait list for getting into the Steward’s Enclosure goes a long way back, as this is the ultimate place to be during the event. Here, the champagne flow albeit naturally.