Winning smile as Queen visits horse show
Monarch in good spirits at Windsor event as she makes her first public appearance since March
SHE HAS been forced to pull out of a string of engagements in recent months, sparking fears for her health.
So the nation breathed a collective sigh of relief yesterday when the Queen appeared at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in particularly jolly spirits.
Up and about on her feet, the 96-yearold monarch spent 90 minutes at the event and appeared in her element as one of her horses was named supreme champion.
She chatted animatedly as she watched her beloved ponies notch up a series of rosettes and a trophy.
The Queen’s bright appearance will go some way to allaying concerns about her health.
It also lent weight to the message conveyed by Buckingham Palace that she suffers from “episodic mobility issues”. Yesterday was clearly a good day. The Queen, wearing sunglasses, a white blouse and dark jacket, made the short journey from Windsor Castle to the Copper Horse Arena in Home Park shortly before 10.30am.
As word spread that she was on her way, a throng gathered as her Range Rover drove right up to the viewing platform.
There was gentle applause as it pulled up and Her Majesty, who cut a tiny figure in the passenger seat, wound down her window.
Handed a programme, the Queen then chatted enthusiastically to officials including Simon Brooks-ward, the show director, Colin Brooks, chairman, and Henrietta Knight, a former trainer. Terry Pendry, her head groom, was also on hand to offer advice.
Wearing a slick of bright pink lipstick, the Queen smiled as she watched her ponies compete for around 50 minutes.
Although the equestrian show is considered a private event, it marked her first appearance in public since the late Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial service on March 29.
A series of health scares in recent months has prompted the palace to indicate that the public should no longer expect to see her at public engagements, with appearances now only confirmed on the day.
Her failure to attend the State Opening of Parliament on Tuesday for the first time in almost 60 years did little to allay concerns.
However, those who saw the Queen at the horse show expressed fresh hope that she would make it to at least some of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations next month.
As the Queen was driven away from the arena, her vehicle paused so she could admire the two ponies at close range, chatting to their keepers and congratulating them on their performance.
Around half an hour later, the Queen made a welcome return, applauded as she was driven into the Castle Arena.
Donning a headscarf, she got out of her vehicle and walked steadily to the stand, aided by a stick, and took a short lift before walking to her seat.
Joined by the Earl and Countess of Wessex and Countess Mountbatten of Burma, she beamed as she sat back in her seat.
The Queen smiled broadly as she was presented with a trophy before examining the inscription. The royal party then watched with pride as Lady Louise Windsor, 18, led the Fell Pony Society’s centenary parade in the late Duke of Edinburgh’s carriage.
The Countess of Burma, 69, was the Duke’s carriage-driving partner and one of his closest confidantes.
After the parade, the Queen left the stand on foot, returning to her vehicle before being driven back to Windsor Castle for lunch.
The Royal Windsor Horse Show is thought to be one of the Queen’s favourite events of the year.
This week, she is expected to show 41 animals, compared with 23 or 24 in a usual year, which organisers said reflected the quality of her entries.
On Thursday, the Queen opted to visit her horses privately rather than attend the first day of the show.
She spent 20 minutes with her horses away from the public after pulling out of a visit at the eleventh hour.
It is hoped that she will be well enough to attend the grand finale tomorrow evening, a Platinum Jubilee celebration that could involve 10 of her great-grandchildren riding together in a carriage.
The two-hour show, called A Gallop Through History, hails the monarch as “the heartbeat of the nation.”
The first performance took place on Wednesday night before Princess Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attended on Thursday night and the Wessexes were due to attend last night.