Gentle readers, Patricia Saffran has contributed many articles for this blog regarding the royal family, horses, and museum exhibits. This article was printed in the June issue of Horse Directory Magazine. Patricia writes about the celebratory events that are planned in the next few days. I have placed an image of the page of the magazine below. Her text and images of the magazine’s page sit further below this post:
As a expert horsewoman and champion of horses, the Queen’s celebration of her sixty year reign features many events involving horses. Some of the events are listed here:
The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery performed for the Queen at Greenwich on April 25th for the opening of the Cutty Sark, and the unveiling of the royal rowbarge Gloriana which will a lead 1000 vessel flotilla on the Thames on June 3rd. The Queen and heirs will be onboard the Spirit of Chartwell.
The Royal Windsor Horse Show and spectacular Diamond Jubilee Equestrian Pageant featuring 550 horses from around the world took place at Windsor Park from May 9-13th. Special mounted rides, troops and horses performed such as the dancing Marwaris of India, Carosello dei Carabinieri of Rome, the Royal Oman Cavalry and many others including the Huasos cowboys of Chile. The special rides were also interspersed during the daytime horse show events.
A parade and muster of 2,500 troops, some mounted, from all branches of the military paraded through Windsor town on May 19, 2012 in the presence of the Queen. They then mustered inside the castle grounds.
On June 2nd the Queen plans to attend Epsom Derby. As a race horse owner, breeder and enthusiast, the Queen attends annually Epsom and Ascot as part of the royal social season. The Queen and royal family enter Ascot in the special Ascot landaus.
On June 5th, the Household Cavalry will escort the Queen from Westminster to Buckingham Palace. There will be a procession from Westminster, down Whitehall, through the Admiralty Arch and up the Mall with the Queen in the 1902 State Landau and two other landaus with the royal family.
Patricia Saffran’s contributions: