This year’s Ascot Gold Cup will be renamed to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s birthday.
The royal will turn 90 on April 21 and to mark the milestone event, the prestigious prize for the two-and-a-half mile horse race on June 16 will now be called the ‘Gold Cup in Honour of The Queen’s 90th birthday’.
The Queen’s representative at Ascot, Johnny Weatherby, said: "We are delighted to be celebrating the Queen’s 90th birthday in the race title of the Gold Cup.
"The Gold Cup, recently won of course by the Queen herself, is the historic centrepiece of Royal Ascot, and is very much the race which resonates most with the public."
The Queen’s horse Estimate won the race in 2013.
Meanwhile, the Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday will also be marked with a new TV special.
ITV will air a special tribute to her live from Windsor Castle and hosted by presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, who recently worked on a documentary with her son Prince Charles.
A source said: "Ant and Dec’s names were in the frame before the Prince’s Trust documentary but I imagine it has helped that they have a good relationship with Charles.
"It’s going to be a similar format to the Diamond Jubilee Pageant but with even bigger performers and performances. This night has been two years in the planning."
Ascot Gold Cup renamed to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s birthday
