Queen Elizabeth II has been pictured horse riding in the grounds of Windsor Castle in her first public appearance since the coronavirus lockdown began.
Windsor is said to be the Queen’s favourite royal residence and she has been photographed over the weekend riding one of her ponies, a 14-year-old Fell Pony called Balmoral Fern.
The 94-year-old, who has been a passionate horse lover and breeder of thoroughbred racehorses throughout her reign, had not been pictured riding since she began isolating at Windsor Castle ten weeks ago despite reports she has been taking daily rides.
Wearing a colourful headscarf and smartly dressed in a tweed jacket, jodhpurs, white gloves and boots, this weekend the head of state stepped out to enjoy the sunny weather that has been a contrast to the sombre mood of the lockdown.
Queen Elizabeth II rides Balmoral Fern, a 14-year-old Fell Pony, in Windsor Home Park over the weekend, accompanied by head groom Terry Pendry
She will have been heartened, no doubt, to hear that horse racing returns today for the first time since March 17.
Her Majesty was accompanied by head groom Terry Pendry, with the pair practising social distancing at all times.
The last public picture of the Queen was taken as she was driven away from Buckingham Palace to her Windsor Castle home on March 19.
One of the Queen’s corgis – she has two named Candy and Vulcan – could be seen next to her as they both looked out of the car window.
The Queen carried out official duties the day before her planned departure, but held her weekly audience with Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the phone rather than face-to-face as usual.
Her Majesty was wearing a colourful headscarf and smartly dressed in a tweed jacket, jodhpurs, white gloves and boots, in the photos taken this weekend
The last public picture of the Queen was taken as she was driven away from Buckingham Palace to her Windsor Castle home on March 19 with one of her corgis by her side
The Queen has made two televised addresses to the nation during the lockdown – the first a speech to reassure the country that coronavirus would be overcome and those in isolation ‘will meet again’, and another on a similar theme to mark VE Day.
In lockdown Queen Elizabeth is said to have continued to take daily horse rides, one of her lifelong pleasures.
Reportedly slipping out of a side door at Windsor castle every morning in a headscarf, jodhpurs and riding boots to take a short drive to her beloved fell pony at Home Park.
Aware of the risk posed to her health by covid-19 Her Majesty is said to make the short drive to the stables unaccompanied – no police, no servants and no family that could expose her to the coronavirus.
In years past Queen Elizabeth II has enjoyed riding in the grounds of Windsor with her daughter the Princess Royal and her head groom Terry Pendry (pictured together in April 2002)
Her favourite pastime: Queen Elizabeth II is seen riding with Terry Pendry in the grounds of Windsor Castle on her 77th birthday (pictured April 21 2003)
The Queen is pictured riding in the grounds of Windsor Castle weeks before her 88th birthday, with head groom Mr Pendry, (April 2014)
Come rain or shine: Queen Elizabeth II rides in drizzling weather, accompanied Terry Pendry in the grounds of Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on the 5th anniversary of the death of The Queen Mother, Mar 30 2007
And head groom Mr Pendry ensures her ponies are ready and that he keeps two metres from his boss.
All protective disinfectant measures are taken, particularly for the horse’s saddle and bridle.
The monarch’s ride of choice is a black pony called Carltonlima Emma, named after the stud near Leeds where she was bred, and the routine gives the queen a sense of both freedom and normality.
Many thought she would have to give up riding – confined to barracks by the pandemic.
Queen Elizabeth II during her address to the nation and the Commonwealth in relation to the coronavirus epidemic, recorded at Windsor Castle, April 5 2020
But a devoted team of 22 staff are working to provide a protective shield around Elizabeth and Prince Philip, which Windsor Castle colleagues are calling ‘HMS Bubble’.
The twenty two royal staff have sacrificed their home lives to stay isolated at Windsor Castle and serve Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip for the duration of the lockdown.
A memo issued to staff from the master of the household Tony Johnstone-Burt, 62, a former Royal Navy Officer called the mission to protect the Queen and Prince Philip ‘HMS Bubble’.
The Queen was driven from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle here she began isolating on March 19, Prince Philip, 98, was flown down to join her from Sandringham shortly after.
In the memo Vice-admiral Johnstone-Burt explains that the staff would be doing their duty by not seeing their families for the duration of the lockdown in order to protect Her Majesty and Prince Philip.
Comparing the conditions to those he experienced while ‘at sea’ during his 40 years in the Navy he wrote: ‘There are 22 Royal Household staff inside the Bubble, and it struck me that our predicament is not dissimilar to my former life in the Royal Navy on a long overseas deployment.
‘Indeed, the challenges that we are facing whether self-isolating alone at home, or with our close household and families, have parallels with being at sea away from home for many months, and having to deal with a sense of dislocation, anxiety and uncertainty.’
The term ‘HMS bubble’ reportedly amused both the Queen and Philip, who himself served in the Navy where he was nicknamed ‘Big Bubble’.
The Queen pictured out riding On her 66th Birthday In Windsor Great Park with her husband Prince Philip. April 21 1991
Queen Elizabeth II riding a horse around the grounds of Windsor during a period of raised security at the Castle after the Westminster terror attack in London, March 29 2017
In his uplifting message to staff, Mr Johnstone-Burt wrote: ‘I’m sure that we shall emerge as a stronger, more considerate and more resilient Royal Household team as a result and able to do our duty for the Queen.’
Members of the Royal staff believe to be isolating with the Queen include Her Majesty’s private secretary Sir Edward Young, and his own staff, who have all moved into the castle.
The staff are said to be split into two groups, who work away from their families on a ‘three weeks on, three weeks off’ basis.
Royal staff, including chefs, cleaners and officials, spend two weeks at home and a third week in quarantine during their time away from Windsor.
Under strict measures to protect the monarch, each employee is then tested for Covid-19 and has their temperature taken before they can begin another three-week rotation.
The queen has continued her duties with grace from the confines of Windsor Castle during the pandemic.
On April 5 more than 23.3million people tuned in to watch the Queen deliver an inspirational’ and ‘galvanising’ coronavirus TV address to the nation.
Queen Elizabeth II speaks to Prime Minister Boris Johnson from Windsor Castle for her Weekly Audience on March 25, 2020 in Windsor, England
Her Majesty’s highly personal speech evoked Britain’s stoicism during the Second World War with viewers admitting they had a lump in their throat and tears in their eyes as she echoed Dame Vera Lynn’s words: ‘We will meet again’.
Three out of four people tuned in on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 at 8pm, putting the speech just outside the top 10 most watched broadcasts of all time in Britain.
Royal commentators said her ‘deeply moving’ words inspired confidence and boosted morale in an intervention being hailed as the ‘finest moment’ in her 68-year reign.
On May 8 the Queen paid tribute to Britain’s lockdown spirit with an electrifying speech on the 75th anniversary of VE Day, in which she said Second World War heroes would admire the nation’s response to the pandemic.
The monarch, who was 13 when war broke out in 1939, added: ‘It may seem hard that we cannot mark this special anniversary as we would wish. Instead we remember from our homes and our doorsteps.
‘But our streets are not empty; they are filled with the love and the care that we have for each other.
‘And when I look at our country today, and see what we are willing to do to protect and support one another, I say with pride that we are still a nation those brave soldiers, sailors and airmen would recognise and admire.’
She added ‘ Never give up, never despair – that was the message of VE Day.’
Her words were delivered to the very second that her father, George VI, gave his VE Day speech 75 years ago.