Cheering, smiling and, ultimately, grimacing, Sophie Wessex was the Queen's loudest supporter today as her filly Estimate attempted to retain the Gold Cup title she won last year. But unfortunately for the Countess, her efforts were in vain with the horse narrowly missing out to Irish contender Leading Light in the most prestigious race on Ladies' Day. Consolation for the Queen came in the form of a family day out, with Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and the Princess Royal joining the monarch and the Countess of Wessex in the Royal Box. Scroll down for video . Tense: Sophie Wessex clutches her face as she watches Estimate defend the Gold Cup . Come on! Sophie Wessex cheers as she roars the Queen's bay thoroughbred filly on . Oh no! The Countess grimaces as Estimate is narrowly pipped to the post by Leading Light . Enjoying . the day: The Queen was resplendent in turquoise as she was driven down . the course at Ascot, the Duke of Edinburgh perched in the landau beside . her . Fine . form: The Duke of Edinburgh chats to Prince Andrew as he, the Queen and . Prince Harry are driven down the racecourse on Ladies Day . Pensive: . The Queen was left disappointed after her filly Estimate failed to replicate last year's Gold Cup winning form - finishing in second place instead . Big day: Although the Queen failed to win . anything yesterday, she is hoping Estimate can change her fortunes. Right: Princess Eugenie waves to the crowds . Looking . lovely: The Princess Royal was chic in a bright pink hat and navy blue . jacket, while Princess Beatrice opted for a bright orange hat by Sarah . Cant . While the Queen might not have managed a win on the racecourse, she took home the prizes in the style stakes with her brightest ensemble of the week so  far - a turquoise Angela Kelly coat and matching Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat. The Countess of Wessex, by contrast, went for dark glamour in a black calf-length dress and a matching hat, using pearl earrings to take the sombre edge off the look. Meanwhile, Princess Beatrice joined the Queen and plumped for brights courtesy of a cream . coat and a tangerine Sarah Cant hat, while Princess Eugenie plumped for pale and interesting in a beige trench coat and a matching pillbox hat by Welsh milliner, Robyn Coles. Glamorous . though the York princesses were, all eyes were on the Princess Royal . who joined them in the carriage and looked marvellous in a fuchsia . titfer and a navy blue coat delicately patterned with flowers. Despite her losses on the field, the Queen did at least have Prince Harry on hand to entertain her and he did - jinking across the Royal Enclosure, twirling an umbrella in his hand, and regaling his family with tales. Commiserations: . The Queen is reflected in the Gold Cup as she prepares to present it to . the owner of Leading Light after her horse Estimate came second . Beautiful: Princess Eugenie was pretty in a hat . by Welsh milliner Robyn Coles while Princess Beatrice opted for a . glamorous tangerine hat by Sarah Cant . Glamorous: A smiling Sophie Wessex was glamorous . in a dramatic all-black ensemble as she joined Prince Harry and the . Queen in the Royal Enclosure . Looking good: Prince Andrew was dapper in . morning dress, while Princess Anne looked lovely in navy and pink, and . Princess Beatrice in a tangering ensemble . Wonderful: . Princess Anne was elegant in a bright pink hat enlivened with marabou . feathers and beading, a matching pink shift dress, and a pared down navy . jacket . Day . out: The Princess Royal, who has been at Royal Ascot every day, was . joined by her nieces Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie for the ride . down the racecourse . Joker: Prince Harry's antics kept his . grandparents and uncle Prince Andrew entertained as they drove along the . course - and he carried on in the Royal Enclosure . Also on . hand for the fun was Peter Phillips who laughed along with Prince Harry . as they cheered on Frankie Dettori in the Norfolk Stakes before bursting . into laughter as he dropped the trophy during the subsequent . presentation. And while she . might not have won, the Queen, who later presented Leading Light's . owners with the Gold Cup, does at least have happy . memories of last year's race - and wrote glowingly of her experiences in . last year's event in the official foreword to the Ascot programme, . 'I would like to thank those of you who . were here for the wonderful welcome the filly received after performing . so well, and also those who were kind enough to send messages . afterwards,' she wrote. 'To win at . Royal Ascot is challenging and I know how much work goes into preparing . every one of the horses racing. All those involved deserve great credit . as well as our gratitude.' And . the Queen certainly does know a considerable amount about readying . racehorses for action, thanks to a career as a breeder and owner that . spans more than 60 years. Since inheriting a handful of animals on her father's death in 1952, her horses have since triumphed in more than 1600 races, . including all five British Classics apart from the Epsom . Derby, although did manage a second place finish with Aureole in . 1953 and came third in 2011 with Carlton House. While . the Derby has so far eluded her, the Queen has bred some of the finest . horses ever to race in the UK, among them Dunfermline who managed to win . both the Epsom Oaks and St. Leger Stakes in 1977, Carozza, who . triumphed in the Epsom Oaks in 1957 and Pall Mall who took the 2,000 . Guineas in 1958. Enjoying himself: Prince Harry makes a lady . guest laugh (left) and right, twirls his umbrella with a cheeky grin on his face as he strolls through the Royal . Enclosure . All . smiles: Prince Harry, dapper in morning dress jazzed up with a . cornflower blue tie, laughed and joked with his uncle, Prince Andrew . Winning . ways: Leading Light (far right with a blaze) streaks past Estimate . (centre, sheepskin noseband) to take the Gold Cup on Ladies Day at Royal . Ascot . Winning . ways: Frankie Dettori leaps from Baitha Alga after the pair triumphed . in the Norfolk Stakes watched by Prince Harry and the Queen . Enjoying . themselves: Ladies stop to chat as they enjoy their day out at Ascot, . with one lady looking particularly elegant in a pink lace dress and . matching titfer . Exciting . stuff: Colourfully dressed racegoers sit in the Grandstand as they wait . for the racing action to begin, starting with the Norfolk Stakes . Smart: A lady dressed in an all-crimson ensemble . topped with a black hat, left, and right, a dapper gentleman in morning dress and his equally well-dressed companion . Green . and pleasant land: Racegoers stroll towards the course along a pretty . tree-lined avenue festooned with Union flag bunting on Ladies Day . Wonderful: . The sun shone on Berkshire's Ascot racecourse as excited guests arrived . for Ladies' Day and the chance to see Estimate compete in the Gold Cup .
The Queen, who was elegant in turquoise, was accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Andrew .
Behind them rode Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, the Princess Royal and her son Peter Phillips .
Prince Harry, on typically jokey form, set about entertaining the ladies as they watched the races .
Unfortunately for the Queen, her filly Estimate could only manage second place in the Gold Cup .
Colourfully dressed racegoers lined the grandstand and filled the paddock, with outlandish hats dominating .
Cheering, smiling and, ultimately, grimacing, Sophie Wessex was the Queen's loudest supporter today as her filly Estimate attempted to retain the Gold Cup title she won last year. But unfortunately for the Countess, her efforts were in vain with the horse narrowly missing out to Irish contender Leading Light in the most prestigious race on Ladies' Day. Consolation for the Queen came in the form of a family day out, with Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and the Princess Royal joining the monarch and the Countess of Wessex in the Royal Box. Scroll down for video . Tense: Sophie Wessex clutches her face as she watches Estimate defend the Gold Cup . Come on! Sophie Wessex cheers as she roars the Queen's bay thoroughbred filly on . Oh no! The Countess grimaces as Estimate is narrowly pipped to the post by Leading Light . Enjoying . the day: The Queen was resplendent in turquoise as she was driven down . the course at Ascot, the Duke of Edinburgh perched in the landau beside . her . Fine . form: The Duke of Edinburgh chats to Prince Andrew as he, the Queen and . Prince Harry are driven down the racecourse on Ladies Day . Pensive: . The Queen was left disappointed after her filly Estimate failed to replicate last year's Gold Cup winning form - finishing in second place instead . Big day: Although the Queen failed to win . anything yesterday, she is hoping Estimate can change her fortunes. Right: Princess Eugenie waves to the crowds . Looking . lovely: The Princess Royal was chic in a bright pink hat and navy blue . jacket, while Princess Beatrice opted for a bright orange hat by Sarah . Cant . While the Queen might not have managed a win on the racecourse, she took home the prizes in the style stakes with her brightest ensemble of the week so  far - a turquoise Angela Kelly coat and matching Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat. The Countess of Wessex, by contrast, went for dark glamour in a black calf-length dress and a matching hat, using pearl earrings to take the sombre edge off the look. Meanwhile, Princess Beatrice joined the Queen and plumped for brights courtesy of a cream . coat and a tangerine Sarah Cant hat, while Princess Eugenie plumped for pale and interesting in a beige trench coat and a matching pillbox hat by Welsh milliner, Robyn Coles. Glamorous . though the York princesses were, all eyes were on the Princess Royal . who joined them in the carriage and looked marvellous in a fuchsia . titfer and a navy blue coat delicately patterned with flowers. Despite her losses on the field, the Queen did at least have Prince Harry on hand to entertain her and he did - jinking across the Royal Enclosure, twirling an umbrella in his hand, and regaling his family with tales. Commiserations: . The Queen is reflected in the Gold Cup as she prepares to present it to . the owner of Leading Light after her horse Estimate came second . Beautiful: Princess Eugenie was pretty in a hat . by Welsh milliner Robyn Coles while Princess Beatrice opted for a . glamorous tangerine hat by Sarah Cant . Glamorous: A smiling Sophie Wessex was glamorous . in a dramatic all-black ensemble as she joined Prince Harry and the . Queen in the Royal Enclosure . Looking good: Prince Andrew was dapper in . morning dress, while Princess Anne looked lovely in navy and pink, and . Princess Beatrice in a tangering ensemble . Wonderful: . Princess Anne was elegant in a bright pink hat enlivened with marabou . feathers and beading, a matching pink shift dress, and a pared down navy . jacket . Day . out: The Princess Royal, who has been at Royal Ascot every day, was . joined by her nieces Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie for the ride . down the racecourse . Joker: Prince Harry's antics kept his . grandparents and uncle Prince Andrew entertained as they drove along the . course - and he carried on in the Royal Enclosure . Also on . hand for the fun was Peter Phillips who laughed along with Prince Harry . as they cheered on Frankie Dettori in the Norfolk Stakes before bursting . into laughter as he dropped the trophy during the subsequent . presentation. And while she . might not have won, the Queen, who later presented Leading Light's . owners with the Gold Cup, does at least have happy . memories of last year's race - and wrote glowingly of her experiences in . last year's event in the official foreword to the Ascot programme, . 'I would like to thank those of you who . were here for the wonderful welcome the filly received after performing . so well, and also those who were kind enough to send messages . afterwards,' she wrote. 'To win at . Royal Ascot is challenging and I know how much work goes into preparing . every one of the horses racing. All those involved deserve great credit . as well as our gratitude.' And . the Queen certainly does know a considerable amount about readying . racehorses for action, thanks to a career as a breeder and owner that . spans more than 60 years. Since inheriting a handful of animals on her father's death in 1952, her horses have since triumphed in more than 1600 races, . including all five British Classics apart from the Epsom . Derby, although did manage a second place finish with Aureole in . 1953 and came third in 2011 with Carlton House. While . the Derby has so far eluded her, the Queen has bred some of the finest . horses ever to race in the UK, among them Dunfermline who managed to win . both the Epsom Oaks and St. Leger Stakes in 1977, Carozza, who . triumphed in the Epsom Oaks in 1957 and Pall Mall who took the 2,000 . Guineas in 1958. Enjoying himself: Prince Harry makes a lady . guest laugh (left) and right, twirls his umbrella with a cheeky grin on his face as he strolls through the Royal . Enclosure . All . smiles: Prince Harry, dapper in morning dress jazzed up with a . cornflower blue tie, laughed and joked with his uncle, Prince Andrew . Winning . ways: Leading Light (far right with a blaze) streaks past Estimate . (centre, sheepskin noseband) to take the Gold Cup on Ladies Day at Royal . Ascot . Winning . ways: Frankie Dettori leaps from Baitha Alga after the pair triumphed . in the Norfolk Stakes watched by Prince Harry and the Queen . Enjoying . themselves: Ladies stop to chat as they enjoy their day out at Ascot, . with one lady looking particularly elegant in a pink lace dress and . matching titfer . Exciting . stuff: Colourfully dressed racegoers sit in the Grandstand as they wait . for the racing action to begin, starting with the Norfolk Stakes . Smart: A lady dressed in an all-crimson ensemble . topped with a black hat, left, and right, a dapper gentleman in morning dress and his equally well-dressed companion . Green . and pleasant land: Racegoers stroll towards the course along a pretty . tree-lined avenue festooned with Union flag bunting on Ladies Day . Wonderful: . The sun shone on Berkshire's Ascot racecourse as excited guests arrived . for Ladies' Day and the chance to see Estimate compete in the Gold Cup .
day: The Queen was resplendent in turquoise as her . Fine . form: The Duke of Edinburgh chats to Prince Andrew as he, the Queen and . Prince Harry her filly Estimate failed to replicate last second place instead . Big day: Although the were, all eyes were on the Princess Royal . who her nieces Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie Peter Phillips who laughed along with Prince in the Norfolk Stakes watched by Prince Harry and stuff: Colourfully dressed racegoers sit in the Grandstand as they wait . for the racing action to see Estimate compete in the Gold Cup .