The Royal Windsor Horse Show isn’t the fanciest event on the royal calendar; that would be Royal Ascot, the aristocratic gathering taking place in June. But it is the one that was closest to the heart of Queen Elizabeth II, who attended nearly every year from its founding in 1943 until her death in 2022. It’s also the event that takes places closest to Windsor Castle itself, employing the residence’s private grounds for an annual competition of show-jumping, dressage, and carriage driving.
The memory of Elizabeth II is always front and center at these events. This year, the show even honored the late queen by displaying the 1966 Land Rover Series IIA she drove to the event in her younger years.
The Royal Windsor Horse Show takes place only a short drive away from Windsor Great Park, where a variety of royal family members have their estates—so it’s always an opportunity for a major royal family reunion as well. Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, who are residents of nearby Bagshot Park and the president and vice president of the show, were on the scene bright and early Thursday morning. They were joined by avid equestrienne Princess Anne, who congratulated the qualifiers for a thoroughbred riding event on scene.
Sources told Vanity Fair that Sophie and Edward are planning to attend all four days to support their daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, who is serving as an organizer for this year’s show. On Saturday, Louise will also compete in a carriage-driving competition. She learned the sport from her grandfather, Prince Philip, when she was 10, and now she is carrying on the legacy for another generation.
Here are all the regal images from the Royal Windsor Horse Show:
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