Duchess Sophie shares special Royal Ascot moment with her dad

Duchess Sophie was joined by her rarely-seen father, Christopher Rhys-Jones for a special appearance at Royal Ascot this week.

On Thursday, The Duchess of Edinburgh attended the prestigious Berkshire racing event alongside her husband, Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh and her 94-year-old father, who is set to celebrate his birthday on Friday.

At the event, Christopher appeared in high spirits as he mingled with the members of the royal family and was seen chatting with Prince Edward.

Sophie looked stunning at the event in a black dress paired with a statement hat. Meanwhile, her father Christopher opted for striped suit for the occasion.

Christopher, the retired sales director is no stranger to royal events and has regularly attended Royal Ascot with his daughter over the years. He was also present at the races in 2025 and has previously joined the family at other high-profile occasions, including the Cheltenham Races and the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

It is pertinent to mention that Christopher Rhys-Jones was stunned when he first learned his daughter, Duchess Sophie was dating Prince Edward.

"When Sophie dropped the bombshell that she was going out with Prince Edward, her father memorably remarked, 'It was the first time in my life that I needed a gin and tonic before ten o'clock'," the royal author, Sean Smith revealed.