Groom’s pride in farewell of Queen’s pony
IT was the sight that broke millions of hearts around the world.
The Queen’s beloved mount, Emma, standing with head groom Terry Pendry as her mistress returned home to Windsor Castle.
And yesterday Mr Pendry revealed his pride at taking Her Majesty’s favourite pony to say a final farewell.
‘It was an honour,’ he said. ‘The Queen adored Emma and rode her for 20 years, so it was only right she should have been there.
‘I think she had some sort of sixth sense Her Majesty wouldn’t be riding her any more and she did her proud by standing there so respectfully.’
Mr Pendry had placed one of Her Majesty’s head scarves on Emma’s saddle in tribute to her mistress, who famously rarely wore a riding hat. The 72-year-old has worked at the castle for 2 years and often rode alongside the Queen.
He said she had ridden 24-year-old Highland fell pony Emma as recently as July, just two days before she left for Balmoral.
‘It’s a memory I shall never forget,’ he added. ‘The Queen may have been frail but she was still as sharp as anything.’