Friday, 09 September 2022
Born on 21 April 1926, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was the first-born daughter of Albert, Duke of York, second son of King George V and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. She spent an idyllic childhood with her younger sister, Margaret Rose, at the family house just off Berkeley Square in London, where she was educated at home amongst a close-knit family.
In 1936, the nation mourned the passing of King George V and his eldest son, Elizabeth’s uncle, was pronounced King Edward VIII. However, Edward abdicated later that year so that he could be allowed to marry divorcee Wallis Simpson, and the crown passed to Elizabeth’s father, the Duke of York, who was known as King George VI on his Coronation. Elizabeth was just 10, but it was in this life-changing moment that her preparation to become the Queen began.
When she was 13, Elizabeth met her third cousin, Prince Philip of Greece – as young Naval cadet, he escorted her on a Royal visit. By the time she was 18, she was in love with him. The outbreak of World War II in 1939 changed everyone’s lives and the young Princess joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service, where she learned to drive and service a lorry.
In November 1947, she married Prince Phillip and the title of The Duke of Edinburgh was bestowed on him. As a serving naval officer, Philip was posted to Malta, meaning the couple could enjoy a relatively normal life. Their first child, Charles, was born in 1948 and, two years later, Anne arrived.
The stress of the war and a lifetime of smoking took their toll on the King, and he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. He died in February 1952, while Elizabeth and Philip were on tour in Kenya. The couple returned immediately to London but, having left as a Princess, Elizabeth came home as a Queen.
Her Coronation was on 2 June 1953 – she was 25 and her reign began in troubled times for the country. Post-war austerity and growing exception to the Monarchy saw her popularity decline. It was Prince Philip who help mastermind positive change, and the term ‘Monarchy’ gave way to ‘The Royal Family’. The Christmas of 1957 saw the country’s first televised festive address, live from the Long Library at Sandringham – an ground-breaking act that would become a tradition.
A third child, Andrew was born in 1960, followed by Prince Edward in 1964 – the new Royal Family was complete. A innovative documentary in the late 1960s had unprecedented access to the Queen and her family to show their ‘ordinary’ life, and it helped rebuild public support.
By 1977, her Silver Jubilee year, it was clear there was genuine affection for Queen Elizabeth and the Royal Family, and the public celebrated the milestone with endearment and gratitude.
Over the next few decades, as Prime Ministers came and went, the Royal Family had a number of marriages and the Queen and Prince Philip became grandparents, which gave them great joy. There were some difficult times along the way, with divorces for Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and, of course, the then-Prince Charles from Princess Diana, which was followed by her well-documented and untimely death. However, the Queen’s devotion to her nation and, more importantly, her family, remained steadfast.
In her Golden Jubilee year of 2002, while there was much to celebrate, the Queen suffered great personal loss with the passing of first her sister Margaret, then The Queen Mother just weeks later.
On 9 September 2015, she became the longest reigning monarch in our history, superseding her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. Just under a year later, she celebrated her 90th birthday. In 2017, the Duke of Edinburgh retired from public duties. The Queen carried on her calendar, only with fewer commitments, and Princes Charles and William taking on a more public role alongside other Royals.
In April 2021, the Queen mourned the loss of Prince Philip, her husband, rock and soulmate, amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Few will forget the image of her solitary figure in Windsor Chapel during the small service, kept apart from her family by social-distancing regulations.
This year, the nation rejoiced during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June to mark the historic occasion. Her declining health and mobility meant she could only make limited appearances, but the country and Commonwealth took the chance to celebrate their Monarch and show the esteem in which they held her.
Just days ago, she formally asked new Prime Minister Liz Truss to form a new government at Balmoral, and was pictured smiling. However, her health declined and, on Thursday, 8 September in the afternoon, she died peacefully with her family at her side.
In her lifetime, the Queen was served by 15 Prime Ministers, welcomed over 110 Presidents and Prime Ministers from foreign shores, and held 600 patronages for charities, professional bodies and public service organisations.
One constant throughout her life was her love of horses and dogs. That affection began with a Shetland Pony called Peggy – a present from her grandfather, King George – on her fourth birthday, and the family Corgi, Dookie. Aged six, she told her riding instructor that she wanted to “become a country lady with lots of horses and dogs”.
The Queen became an avid breeder of thoroughbreds from the stud at Sandringham, and horses under her ownership won four of the five flat-racing Classics – sadly, she never achieved a Derby champion. The closest she came was when Aureole, who she inherited from her father, who also bred the horse, finished as runner-up just four days after her Coronation. Her Silver Jubilee year was memorable for another reason because Dunfermline, ridden by Willie Carson, completing an Oaks-St Leger double.
In 2013, Estimate won the Ascot Gold Cup for the Queen, and she duly honoured the win with a statue of the horse, which stands in pride of place at Sandringham. The Queen enjoyed over 1,600 winners on the track, both flat and jump-racing. With an encyclopaedic knowledge of bloodlines, she’s reputed to have said, “My philosophy is simple – I enjoy breeding a horse faster than other people’s.” Many of her horses went on to have successful careers in other sports off the track, including in the show ring, with the Queen always mindful of their welfare when racing had finished.
She also owned and bred sports horses, including Princess Anne’s European gold medallist partner, Doublet – although he was originally destined for the polo field – and Goodwill, who took European silver in 1975. Another of her horses, Columbus, was intended for Princess Anne, but he proved to strong and the ride passed to Captain Mark Phillips in 1972. In 1974, Mark went on to win Badminton, where the Queen presented the trophy – he duly gave it straight back to the winning owner.
A number of breeds also held strong places in the heart of the Queen. She was devoted to the Cleveland Bay and preserving the breed, as its numbers have been in decline, alongside a love of Fell and Highland ponies. Her breeding programme has produced a great number of winners at county shows up and down the country. Even this year, she was pictured riding her beloved Emily, a Fell pony, in the grounds of Windsor Castle.
Of course, Windsor plays host to the Royal Windsor Horse Show, which was started by her father in 1943 to raise funds and give the public something to enjoy after the ravages of World War II. There was no more dedicated supporter of the show than the Queen who, despite ill health, attended this year from the comfort of a Land Rover to see her own Balmoral Leia take the Mountain and Moorland supreme in-hand championship. This year, the show also marked her Platinum Jubilee with a show to end all shows, featuring a unique equine spectacle, which clearly delighted the Queen.
As well as riding for pleasure, the Queen took to the saddle for her ceremonial duties. Originally carried out side-saddle, she then moved to sit astride in later years. Her most memorable partner for this role was a dark bay mare called Burmese, who was gifted to her by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Together, they oversaw proceedings at 18 consecutive Trooping of the Colour pageants, which mark the Queen’s birthday, from 1969 to 1986. When Burmese retired after her final appearance, she was not replaced – from then, the Queen opted for a carriage. The mare died in 1990 and the Queen always recognised her as a firm favourite.
In 2014, the Queen was presented with the inaugural FEI Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her leading role in supporting equestrianism. Her equestrian patronages include the British Horse Society, British Showjumping, the Fell Pony Society, the Highland Pony Society, the Shire Horse Society, the Welsh Pony and Cob Society, and the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association.
It's often said that the Queen was her most relaxed around horses and she felt time spent in their company was never wasted. A true equestrian, our industry owes her a great debt for her enormous contribution, unwavering support, and strong vision of equine welfare and standards.
Thank you for your service Ma’am, may you rest in eternal peace.
A book of condolence has been opened at British Equestrian Headquarters at Equestrian House, and members of the public are invited to visit to write a message next week, from Monday through to Friday. The building is open 09:00 to 17:00 Monday to Thursday, and 09:00 to 15:30 on Friday. Address: Equestrian House, Abbey Park, Stareton, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2RH. For satnav, please use the post code CV8 2XZ.
There is also a public online book of condolence on The Royal Family's website – please visit The Royal Family and scroll down, the link will appear on the right.