LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It’s time for all young women hoping to be a princess or even a queen to step forward and apply. The search is on for the Kentucky Derby Festival’s next royal court.
“For more than 60 years, the Royal Court has been one of the hallmark traditions showcasing the spirit of the Derby Festival in our community,” said Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival President & CEO. “This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience packed with countless opportunities during our favorite time of year. We look forward to crowning the 2023 Royal Court.”
Young ladies from Kentucky or Southern Indiana who are full-time college students and in their second year of school are eligible to apply. The deadline to apply for the 2023 Royal Court is Oct. 16. Candidates must submit applications online.
Every year, they select five women as Derby Festival Princesses to represent The Fillies®, the Kentucky Derby Festival, the City of Louisville, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky as official representatives of the Kentucky Derby Festival. With the spin of a wheel, they crown one princess Derby Queen at the annual Fillies Derby Ball.
“Being chosen as part of the 2022 Royal Court to represent the Derby Festival, the city of Louisville and the state of Kentucky was a dream come true,” said Nancy Ngo, Queen of the 2022 Royal Court. “As an Asian American, it also gave me the opportunity to be a role model for those in the AAPI community and to demonstrate that confidence, dedication to academic success and passion for service can be celebrated in many different ways.”
The Royal Court celebrates civic-minded and academically achieving college students. Every member of the Royal Court gets two $1,000 scholarships—one from The Fillies, Inc., and one from the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation. Each woman gets a complimentary wardrobe and other sponsor gifts.
The Derby Festival Royal Court® program is overseen by members of The Fillies, Inc., a non-profit organization with 250 community volunteers. Since 1957, past Derby Festival Queens and Courts have been making an impression on their community. They include Martha Layne Collins, Kentucky’s first woman governor, Miss Kentucky 2022 Hannah Edelen, and several other community leaders.