Kate Middleton, girlfriend of Britain's Prince William, has declined an offer from Queen Elizabeth to host a table at this week's Royal Ascot.
Kate - who has been dating the future king for five years - was personally invited by the queen to have a table at the world-famous horseracing event in the hospitality tent in the Royal Enclosure on Thursday.
However, she turned the monarch down as she "doesn't want to be standing in for Prince William again and using her royal status".
Last month she represented William at Peter Phillips' wedding at Windsor Castle while the prince was in Africa.
A source told Britain's Mail on Sunday newspaper: "Kate was all set to take the table after having been personally invited by the queen. She then had second thoughts and politely declined the offer."
"Princes William and Harry were both invited to Ascot, but neither of them can go, and so Kate was invited to take William's table."
"She loves the races and would have so enjoyed to host her own table, but she said she doesn't want to be standing in for William again and using her so-called royal status."
"She stood in for William at Peter Phillips's wedding because he asked her to, but Kate is wary of being seen as William's official stand-in."
The queen has invited her granddaughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie who will each host tables of ten on Friday.
A royal aide said: 'The queen is very keen for the younger royals to get into racing as it is her favorite pastime and lots of her horses compete at Ascot."
The queen will be hosting her own table tomorrow and will attend the races every day.
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