All the photos of the Queen at Royal Ascot

The Queen is back at the races! The British monarch returned to her beloved Royal Ascot horse race after the pandemic forced her to miss last year's event. Ascot is said to be the Queen's favourite event of the year, given her lifelong love of horses. While this year's race looks a bit different—attendees are masked and had to receive COVID tests—the royals arrived in full force. Unlike most years, the Queen did not attend the Ascot's opening day, as she had an in-person meeting with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. However, she certainly was not going to miss the event in its entirety, arriving on the final day of the event to watch the races.

This week holds special meaning to Queen Elizabeth, who has been patron of Royal Ascot since coming to the throne in 1952. In 2013, the Queen became the first ever reigning monarch to win the Royal Ascot Gold Cup with her horse, Estimate. As Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, recently told ITV’s Racing presenter Oli Bell, "I think this is [the Queen's] passion in life, and she loves it and you can tell how much she loves it. She can tell you every horse she’s bred and owned, from the very beginning, she doesn’t forget anything."

Below, find all of the best photos of Queen Elizabeth at the 2021 Royal Ascot.

Queen Elizabeth arriving by car for day five of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse.

The Queen was accompanied on her drive by her lady in waiting, Lady Susan Hussey.

The crowd erupted in a huge cheer upon their first sighting of the monarch.

Her Majesty clearly looked happy to be back at the races.

For today's events, the Queen opted for a pale blue ensemble with a matching hat adorned with striking pink flowers.

Here's a better look at the Queen's hat (and her big smile).

Queen Elizabeth clearly loving being around horses today.

The monarch with her racing manager John Warren and jockey Frankie Dettori as they inspect the horse Reach For The Moon.