Three Masters in the Bridge Bar: Friday
Before the madness begins: Friday
Consort David carves the ham: Friday
Boat tents from the bridge at 0700 am: Saturday
Early morning paddlers: Saturday
Lunch - Consort and three Masters: Friday
With the Master Gunmaker: Saturday
Leander Ladies' VIII, Wargrave Cup: Saturday
Deckchairs and river: Saturday
After the madness: Saturday

Entertaining Masters at Henley Royal Regatta

4th July 2026

Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire

The Henley Royal Regatta is one of our long-standing and most cherished family traditions, with each of us being a member of the Stewards' Enclosure - Simon for at least forty years! Our son Tom rowed at Henley in 2018 as a member of the Monkton Combe School VIII, and one or two of his schoolfriends have gone on to represent GB at senior level and were rowing at this year's regatta, so we always have plenty of crews to cheer for!

This year the weather was extremely kind ... almost too kind! We have been to regattas where we have huddled under trees and in the grandstands in an effort to find shelter from the rain, and we have worn wellies around the muddy enclosure, but this year we were huddling under the trees and in the grandstands in an effort to find shade as temperatures climbed to nearly 30 degrees.

Henley is an occasion for ancient rowing blazers, pretty dresses, panamas and nicely understated hats. It is more relaxed and less dressy than Royal Ascot, but the dress rules are sternly policed at the entrance to Stewards' and making phone calls is banned. However, it all becomes a little more anarchic as you leave the enclosure and head along the river bank upstream towards Temple Island, from where the races begin!

This year, we decided to invite first-time guests on the Friday, so Jane Croad, Master of the Worshipful Livery Company of Wales, and her Consort David joined us, together with Christine Anderson, Master of the Worshipful Company of Nurses.

We left Bath at 0530 to set up our gazebo ahead of the crowds, before getting into our smart outfits and opening the first bottle of fizz when our guests arrived. A trip to the Bridge Bar for the traditional jug of Pimms and to watch the Umpires' boats leaving for Temple Island preceded lunch back at the gazebo, kindly supplied by Jane and David.

The afternoon required restorative iced coffees, a session in the grandstand to actually watch some rowing, and a wander along the ranks of green canvas deckchairs to spot friends, admire all the outfits and to just enjoy the occasion.

Finally the heat and the crowds sent us back to the shelter of our gazebo, from where we said goodbye to our guests before heading for the cool comfort of a nearby hotel to prepare for Saturday and another big day.

Saturday is when we entertain a dozen family and friends, so another early start but not quite so far to drive! We arrived ahead of the crowds once again, and with plenty of time to walk through the Leander Club and emerge amongst the boat tents for coffee and bacon sandwiches alongside many of those competing today. After our party had arrived by minibus and by train, we took part in the traditional clapping-out of the Leander Ladies' VIII, in which one of our family friends was rowing at stroke, and headed back to the Stewards' Enclosure to watch the race from our deckchairs on the river bank before settling down in the Bridge Bar for - guess what - jugs of Pimms!

Making my way back to our gazebo for lunch, I detoured to find Nicole Brocklebank-Fowler, Master Gunmaker, and her husband Tim setting up their own tent on Lion Meadow ready for their family party. Nicole and I, together with Jane and Christine, are amongst 29 Lady Masters in the 2025-6 Group of Livery Masters: that's over 25 per cent, the highest ever number!

I kept a look out for our Third Warden Stephan von Schilling, who was at the Regatta on Saturday celebrating his birthday, but didn't spot him amongst the crowds. I am sure others were probably there too somewhere ... perhaps it calls for a Company day out next year!