THE DAREDEVIL DUKE
Even as he hits the grand age of 83, Philip refuses to slow down, risking life and limb carriage driving . . .
Carriage driving is a perilous pursuit but, at 83, Prince Philip is still competing at the highest level. Here, the Duke gives ROBERT HARDMAN his views on dicing with danger, hunting — and when he expects the Queen’s command to rein himself in . . .
Aside from the invention of the disc brake, this sport has not changed much since the days of Ben-Hur.
They don’t try to kill each other these days. in fact, it is all very friendly. But it still requires strong arms and stronger nerves to control four thoroughbreds as they drag you across land, water and some infernal obstacles.
And, at 83, by far the oldest competitor in international carriage driving has no intention of giving up just yet.
‘You’ve got to be a nutcase,’ Prince Philip explains when i ask him for the ideal qualities in a carriage driver. so what is it about the sport that has captivated him for more than three decades? ‘The best bit is when it’s over,’ he says with a grin.
Thrill
i try again. What gives him the greatest thrill? is it charging across open ground at full pelt with all 16 hooves thudding in unison? or is it weaving through some fiendish slalom?
‘no,’ insists the duke of edinburgh. ‘it’s when it’s all over and you’re still in one piece.’
Then he emits a mischievous chuckle. He is certainly a picture of gritted-teeth, clawed-knuckle intensity when i watch him in action later. But he also, clearly, loves every minute.
We are sitting in a marquee below Windsor Castle as the duke prepares to compete on home turf at the Royal Windsor Horse show. He is raring to go. There are no flunkies in sight, not even a chauffeur for the royal Land Rover, which he drives himself.
The sun is out and it is going to be a vintage show. so i find the duke in fine form and full of forthright views on all things horsey.
He has agreed to see me to discuss his favourite sport. His cricket, polo and sailing days are all over, but the duke is as competitive as ever about carriage driving. i have seen some of the obstacles and the speeds involved and it strikes me that this is a pretty precarious hobby for someone in their prime, let alone for an octogenarian war veteran. deaths are not unknown.
i ask him whether the Queen or other members of the Royal Family have dropped gentle hints that he might like to take up something a little less energetic. ‘not yet. Any minute now, i should think,’ he replies before adding: ‘on the whole, we don’t interfere with each other.’
The British carriage driving season kicked off a week earlier in Brighton. The duke did not just do well. He won his event — the pony four-in-hand — which put him at the top of the national table.
Natural
His success is all the more remarkable given that he took up this sport only because arthritis was forcing him out of another. Being a natural sportsman — in his cricketing days, Prince Philip took the wicket of england legend Tom graveney — he took to polo in an instant. But not for long. ‘The war broke out and that was that,’ he says. it was only after the war, while stationed in malta, that he resumed his interest in the game.
over the years, he was battered and bruised and still winces whenever he sees a dancer doing the splits, because it reminds him of the day he caught his knee against a rider who was galloping in the opposite direction.
Finally, a wrist injury turned arthritic and he realised his days were numbered. ‘i decided to give up polo at 50.’ By then, however, he had become one of the most powerful figures in the equestrian world.
most people are probably unaware that he spent 22 years as a wily and respected president of the international equestrian
Federation (FEI), the world governing body for everything from dressage to showjumping. In 1968, he was involved in drawing up rules and tournaments for the newly recognised sport of carriage driving.
‘Then, in 1972, there were the world championships in Germany which I went out to see. And I then thought, “Well why don’t I have a go?”
‘ Without knowing what the hell I was doing, I decided to drive horses!’
In pretty short order, he was soon competing at national and then international level, winning three bronze team medals and a team gold. He is almost certainly the only serving president of any international sporting federation who has competed in one of his own events.
Fray
His presidency lasted until 1986 (when he was succeeded by the Princess Royal) and, in the same year, he ‘ downsized’ from horses to ponies — marginally less taxing
He has granted me this interview to promote carriage driving and yet he is magnificently nononsense when I ask him if he has a message for young people who might be interested in taking up the activity.
‘I haven’t got a message for anybody, thank you,’ he replies. ‘I’m not trying to promote it like some soap powder. I mean, it’s a sport for Christ’s sake. If people want to take part, it’s up to them.’
Evidently, he still does. The oldest equestrian competitor in the business then shakes my hand before disappearing to join the fray and compete against the best in Europe.
Four days later, a few days short of his 83rd birthday, he finishes in third place.
Saturday, June 12, 2004