Royal Ascot has changed over the years but the best has simply got even better

Once upon a time it was 1994. Things were in some ways rather different but also in some ways remarkably the same, not least because in June of that year, a quarter of a century ago, fans of racing and fancy hats shared the pleasure of Royal Ascot.

In the preceding weeks and months the Channel Tunnel opened, Torvill and Dean were robbed at the Winter Olympics and women were ordained as priests in the Church of England for the first time, a historic move that paved the way for The Vicar of Dibley.

Just as now, one of Britain's two major political parties was engaged in a leadership race, with Tony Blair well on his way to becoming Labour chief. Also as now, Ascot officials were braced for a major railway strike, which came on the second day of the meeting when more than 4,000 signalling staff brought the rail network to a near standstill. At least one person wearing morning dress arrived at the racecourse by bicycle.