Queen Elizabeth II was known for appearing poised whenever she was out in public, but one day she made it clear she’d had enough attention from photographers.
In a video posted to TikTok by The Royal Watcher, a young Queen Elizabeth is seen watching from the sidelines with her sister, Princess Margaret, as her husband, Prince Philip, competed in carriage driving at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May 1988. Carriage driving is a type of horse driving harness in which larger two- or four- wheeled carriages (sometimes restored antiques) are pulled by a single horse, a pair, tandem or a four-in-hand team.
During that year’s competition, photographers were blocking Queen Elizabeth’s view as they jostled to take photos of the monarch. The interruption prompted a word from the Queen, who was captured shooing the photographers out of her way as her sister smiled.
“Do you mind?” she could be heard asking as she waved her arms to indicate that the photographers move out of the way. The video has been viewed more than 90,000 times since it was uploaded on 6 August.
The former Queen was an avid horse lover from a young age, after being gifted a Shetland pony when she was only four years old. Not only did she attend horse shows, but she also participated in breeding racehorses and was involved in racing events such as the Royal Ascot.
Prince Philip also wasn’t the only member of the family who participated in equestrian sporting events. Carriage driving was also a sport that their granddaughter, Lady Louise, picked up. Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth and Philip’s daughter, Princess Anne, became the first member of the royal family to compete in the Olympic Games when she rode The Queen’s horse, Goodwill, in 1976.
As the one-year anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death approaches on 8 September, the United Kingdom is preparing to pay tribute to their late monarch. The Independent reported that the Prince and Princess of Wales will lead tributes to the late monarch on the anniversary of her death. Prince William and Kate Middleton will also reportedly deliver a message to citizens, although it is not currently clear whether that message will be delivered in person, broadcast on television, or shared via social media.
King Charles III will be reportedly spending the anniversary of his mother’s death “quietly and privately” at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where she passed away.
Grant Harrold, former royal butler to King Charles and Queen Camilla when they were still the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, told The Independent exclusively that, similar to all big royal anniversaries, the first year will be important. “The public will want it to be noted, lots of people will be reflecting and remembering and that’s what the royal family will do,” he said.
He guessed that, instead of larger events, people would be encouraged to have “more reflective” commemorations. “If there [are] any royal duties that the family are undertaking, they will continue as normal, I’m sure we will see people call out and ask them if they’re remembering the Queen today and, of course, they will say they are,” Harrold said.
“The biggest indication will be what we see on social media. It will not surprise me at all if we see any videos and posts – that’s how it will be marked because that’s the way things are done now.”
He explained that when the late queen would celebrate her father’s death anniversary, she would go to church, so he wouldn’t be surprised if the royal family takes that route either. “For her father’s [death] anniversary, the Queen would always mark it by being at Sandringham on the day and would actually go to church. It wouldn’t surprise me if members of the royal family decide to go to church.”
