All eyes are on the royal family this morning as they honor Queen Elizabeth at her funeral. Many members of the family made small nods toward the queen with their outfits—including Her Majesty’s great-granddaughter, Princess Charlotte.
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Charlotte’s Tribute To One Of The Queen’s Favorite Hobbies
Charlotte, 7, was accompanied by her parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton, as well as her older brother Prince George, 9. Like her mother, the young princess wore a long black coat and a black hat. This marks the first time we’ve seen Charlotte in a hat: an accessory that is a given for older female members of the royal family.
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The princess also honored her great-grandmother with a special piece of jewelry. Charlotte wore a small, diamond horseshoe-shaped broach, a nod to the late queen’s love of horses. This passion for equestrian sports was a part of Queen Elizabeth’s life since she was very young.
Queen Elizabeth’s Love Of Horse Racing
Like most young royals, Queen Elizabeth learned how to ride a horse when she was just a child. However, a visit to a racing stable when she was 16 years old ignited a love for the sport of horse racing.
“She watched them do some gallops ahead of some big races that were imminent,” journalist and author Julian Muscat said of the queen’s first visit to the stable. “Afterward, she went and patted them on the head and loved the feel and the silkiness of their coats. The story goes that she didn’t wash her hands for the rest of the day.”
This launched a lifelong love of breeding and racing horses. She was named British Flat racing Champion Owner in 1954 and 1957, and bred horses that won at the St. Leger Stakes, Epsom Oaks, 1,000 Guineas, and 2,000 Guineas races.
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Queen Elizabeth’s love of horses and horse racing was passed down to her children—King Charles III and his wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, have both entered their own horses in the Royal Ascot Race in past years. Charlotte’s sweet jewelry tribute to the queen shows that she’s keeping her great-grandmother’s love of horses alive in the royal family.