Queen’s disappointment when her horse loses at Ascot and she misses the second day’s races

Some thought the Queen was making a fleeting trip to Royal Ascot when the Royal Standard was suddenly flown, but she instead stayed home to watch as Reach For the Moon was narrowly missed

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Queen: Royal Ascot raises the Royal Standard

Royal fans were left disappointed after hopes were raised that the Queen had made a late hop to Royal Ascot.

The monarch once again missed the gathering – but many were sure she would surprise the huge crowd with a sudden and unexpected appearance.

The Queen’s Royal Standard, representing the sovereign and the United Kingdom, was flown at Berkshire Racecourse just after 4pm.

It only goes up when Her Majesty is at home, in her car, or on a business trip.

Videos showing the Standard on display in the Royal Enclosure circulated on social media – and many expected to see them on the balcony.

But Royal Ascot told The Mirror: “We can confirm that the flag is the standard of the Princess Royal, not Her Majesty.”

Instead, she watched her horses from home and cheered them on from Windsor Castle.

Her horse, Reach For the Moon, had chances to win but fell short and failed to give the Queen her 25th Royal Ascot winner.

Her hopes of seeing her horse triumph were dashed when Claymore won the Hampton Court Stakes.

Princess Anne and Zara Tindall entered on a muggy day.

Zara, 43, beamed in her cream Laura Green coat dress, green and pink Justine Bradley-Hill hat and fuchsia Karen Millen shoes as she shielded her eyes from the glare with a pair of chic sunglasses.

Top hats were the order of the day for TV presenters Nick Knowles, 59, who arrived with his girlfriend Katie Dadzie, and Jeremy Kyle, 56, pictured with his wife Victoria.

TV’s Kirsty Gallacher, 46, looked stunning in all black and Real Housewives of Cheshire star Ampika Pickston, 40, caused a stir in a giant green hat.

Colorful feathers adorned more eye-catching headgear as the ladies outshone the gentlemen in dazzling outfits on the third day of the gathering.

The 13-8 favorite Kyprios, ridden by Ryan Moore, won the day’s big race, the Gold Cup, with Stradivarius, who was keen to become a four-time winner of the event, finishing third with Frankie Dettori on board.

Dettori was second on the Queen’s horse, Reach for the Moon.

The five-day Berkshire event is expected to draw a total of 270,000 race-goers and tomorrow the temperature is expected to hit a muggy 31C.

It is unlikely that the Queen will be there on Friday.