E ven on a day when Royal Ascot felt even more awash with bunting than ever, and the top hats and collars were suitably stiff and starched, there was a hint of change in the air. A gentle sense of tradition encountering transition after the death of the sport’s greatest patron, Queen Elizabeth II, last year.It was evident as the royal procession bumpily made its way down the straight before the first race, and the regal waves of the King Charles III were met with gentle – rather than rousing applause – although plenty did tip their hats. The racecards also carried a new royal cypher, bearing the double C for Charles and Camilla.