The Queen shows her competitive side as she cheers on jockeys at the Royal Windsor Horse Show

Throwing her arms in the air while cheering on jockeys, the Queen looked back on form at the Royal Windsor Horse show on Friday as she put on an animated display despite her ongoing health concerns.

Beaming proudly, the 96-year-old monarch raised cheers of delight as she made her first public appearance since March at what is one of her favourite events of the year.

And, while her mobility was clearly limited, her spirits were most definitely not as she accepted a trophy after her horse was named supreme champion. 

On Tuesday she reluctantly missed the State Opening of Parliament on the advice of royal doctors and delegated her role – for the first time – to the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge. 

It was the latest in a string of cancelled public appearances which have led to widespread concern for Her Majesty’s health. 

She was last seen in public when she attended a service commemorating the life of her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, on March 29. 

But the sovereign, who will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee next month, couldn’t have looked perkier as she drove from Windsor Castle to the world-famous horse show in the grounds of the estate. 

She has not missed an event since the show started in 1943 and had several horses competing in various classes. 

Looking relaxed and animated, the head of state sat in her Range Rover and watched entrants in the parade ring as she chatted to officials and members of staff through the open passenger window. 

Wearing a blue cardigan, grey skirt and her familiar headscarf – as well as sunglasses and carrying a favourite handbag – the Queen spent almost an hour chatting to friends including retired racehorse trainer Henrietta Knight. 

Colin Brooks, chairman of the show’s committee, also shared a joke with the Queen, and her head groom Terry Pendry was on hand to offer his expertise. 

The Queen had arrived to watch the Highland Class 64 event and was duly rewarded when her grey dun mare, Balmoral Leia, was named winner – and later announced as supreme champion. 

Dozens of members of the public were keen to get a glimpse of the Queen. 

Cathy Paige, an American tourist from Massachusetts, said she was in awe after standing just a few feet from her, adding: ‘I didn’t expect to see her. That was a wish, a dream, but never a possibility. It was a moment I’ll never forget.’ 

Later the monarch joined the Earl and Countess of Wessex to watch her granddaughter, Lady Louise Windsor, in a carriage display marking the centenary of the Fell Pony Society. 

Poignantly, she was driving Prince Philip’s ponies and trap. 

The Queen was spotted walking into the arena using her stick and taking a lift up to her place in the stands, where she sat with her family and friend Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma – Philip’s former carriage-driving partner. 

Buckingham Palace has recently moved to temper expectations about the Queen’s appearances in public. 

But, if yesterday’s heartening show is anything to go by, hopes are high that we’ll see more of her during the jubilee celebrations.

It came after the Queen made a secret trip to see her own horses this week as she missed the first day of the event yesterday. 14 of her animals will be taking part over the coming days, and the monarch was visibly delighted to see them in action. 

As the Range Rover pulled up near the parade ring yesterday, the Queen spoke to a small group, thought to be officials from the show, through the open car window.

She appeared relaxed, smiling and laughing as she chatted, while just a few feet away dozens of photographers tried to capture the moment.

Inside the parade ring, horses were put through their paces as relaxing classical music was played over the public address system.

Dozens of members of the public were also keen to have a memento of the occasion, holding up camera phones to record their glimpse of the Queen.

The monarch was last seen in public when she attended a service commemorating the life of her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, in March with senior royals and a congregation of hundreds.

She reached her Platinum Jubilee in February, overcame a bout of Covid after testing positive that month, and celebrated her 96th birthday on April 21 privately at her Sandringham estate.

Last October, she spent a night in hospital and over the following three months was under doctors’ orders to only conduct light duties so missed a number of prominent events.

The Queen has been using a walking stick in public since she attended a service marking the centenary of the Royal British Legion last October.

 

The show, which kicked off yesterday and will run until Sunday, is the Queen’s favourite event of the year but Princess Beatrice stepped in for Her Majesty in a ‘dress rehearsal’ for Sunday night’s festivities.

Beatrice was said to have ‘delighted to be asked to play the role of the Queen’ to make sure the event would go ‘without a hitch should Her Majesty wish to attend the Royal Windsor Horse Show in this way.’

Instead of attending the event, the Queen chose to visit her own horses. She has not missed the show in 79 years and this year’s event will see 14 of her horses competing.

The Queen had been set to be driven 500 yards from her Windsor Castle apartments to see her five-year-old gelding First Responder compete, but her appearance was suddenly called off minutes before the horse was due to take part. 

She then privately visited her other horses entered into the contest at the Royal Mews at the castle, reports indicate.  

It came as this week the Queen dramatically pulled out of the State Opening of Parliament for the first time in 59 years because of her increasing mobility issues. Prince Charles read her speech for the first time, accompanied by Prince William, who had never attended before.

And it has been revealed that Beatrice and Edo, as well as Princess Eugenie, 32, and her husband Jack Brooskbank, along with several other royals, won’t make an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations. 

The balcony appearance, which is often seen as the centrepiece of major royal occasions, including Trooping the Colour and weddings, usually sees the Queen’s extended family gather to watch a flypast and is a rare chance for fans to see the entire extended family together.

Following his ejection from public life, after settling a civil court case in America over allegations of sexual abuse against Virginia Giuffre (which he vehemently denies), it was inconceivable that Beatrice and Eugenie’s father Prince Andrew would be given a spot. 

Despite earlier claims that the Queen offered Prince Harry and Meghan Markle a space on the platform, they too have been left off the list, although they quickly announced today that they will be in London for the celebrations with their two children. 

However, in paring the list down to just 16 people to avoid potential diplomatic pitfalls, the Queen has been forced to omit a number of well-liked family members including her much-loved grandchildren and their families. 

Her cousins, including Prince Michael of Kent, and their families, with whom the Queen enjoys a warm relationship are also out in the cold, with a total of at least 34 royals absent from the balcony. 

The final balcony lineup will boast the Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall; the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children; the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their children; the Princess Royal and Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence; the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester; the Duke of Kent, and Princess Alexandra.

The Queen’s other adult grandchildren, Peter Philips and Zara Tindall have been excluded with their families, even though their mother Princess Anne and stepfather Sir Timothy Laurence will join the Queen.  

In a formal statement about the decision, Buckingham Palace said: ‘After careful consideration, The Queen has decided this year’s traditional Trooping the Colour balcony appearance on Thursday 2nd June will be limited to Her Majesty and those Members of the Royal Family who are currently undertaking official public duties on behalf of The Queen.’ 

There are exceptions, however. Prince Anne’s husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, who is not a working royal, and the Queen’s granchildren Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn, and her great-grandchildren George, Charlotte and Louis are included.

The Palace spokesman added: ‘The Cambridge and Wessex children are also expected to appear as is Sir Tim Laurence, who the Queen is happy to attend as a frequent attendee and support for the Princess Royal on official engagements.’ 

The announcement follows reports that her Majesty herself may not appear on the balcony, due to the 96-year-old’s limited mobility.

It is believed that aides are working on a ‘plan B’, with an insider saying: ‘It could still happen but it is by no means guaranteed that we will see the Queen on the balcony during the Jubilee.’ 

While recent balcony appearances have been more focused on senior members of the Firm, normally, there are no restrictions on which family members are present for Trooping of the Colour, the Queen’s official birthday.