Purple Reign! The Queen wears lilac for day at the races as she arrives for Champions Day at Ascot

The Queen looked radiant in a traditional lilac ensemble as she arrived at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday.

Her Majesty, 93, continued a month of royal engagements after her summer break in Balmoral as she stepped out of a Range Rover ahead of the ninth annual QIPCO British Champions Day.

Dressed in a pastel purple dress which featured a knee-length pleated skirt, the monarch paired her smart ensemble with a quilted purple coat with pearlescent buttons on the front and sleeves.

She also donned a matching lilac hat with a floral embellishment on the side, adding to her race day ensemble with three layers of pearls and a black leather handbag.

Her Majesty fended off the colder weather with a pair of black gloves and wore sensible, mid-height heels ahead of the busy day at Ascot, which is described as one of the ‘most prestigious events in the British sporting calendar’.

The event, which is in its ninth year, begins with its first race at 1:35pm, with six events throughout the day until the final race at 4:40pm. The Queen Elizabeth II stakes, which takes place at 3:20pm, has a prize fund of £1,100,000.

The British Champions Day marks another engagement for the monarch this month, after she made a visit to South London last Friday to open a new housing development for armed forces veterans.

Queen Elizabeth II looks out over a balcony as the ninth annual QIPCO British Champions Day gets underway at Ascot

The monarch wore a silver, floral brooch on her lilac coat as she watched the busy proceedings at the Ascot Racecourse

The Queen, who is a known fan of racing, points out a sight that has caught her eye at as the six events got underway

Her Majesty, 93, continued her return to royal engagements after her summer break in Balmoral as she stepped out of a Range Rover ahead of the ninth annual QIPCO British Champions Day

In the visit, which was her first royal engagement since her summer break in Balmoral, the Queen toured the development of almost 70 homes which will provide tailored accommodation for severely wounded and disabled veterans.

One block in the development was named Queen Elizabeth Terrace in her honour.

In her visit to the Haig Housing development near Morden, the Queen was introduced to Grenadier Guards veteran Michael Bowman and his two sons.

The monarch jokingly told off a school boy who was part of a crowd of children who had cheered when she arrived, saying: ‘You were making a lot of noise.’ 

After issuing a royal telling off – albeit a jokey one – The Queen was asked whether she would like a cup of tea by Mrs Bowman. ‘I don’t think I have time for that unfortunately. I’m very busy,’ she explained.

She also donned a matching lilac hat with a floral embellishment on the side, adding to her race day ensemble with three layers of pearls and a black leather handbag

Her Majesty fended off the colder weather with a pair of black gloves and wore sensible, mid-height heels ahead of the busy day at Ascot

The British Champions Day marks another engagement for the monarch this month, after she made a visit to South London last Friday to open a new housing development for armed forces veterans